Lessons From My Father
by Xiomari
Summary: (AU) Bra is a typical teenager, despite her unusual parentage. She has interests in fashion and social trends, leaving little time for Vegeta's "uncool" training sessions. But her peaceful lifestyle comes to a halt when her home is attacked. Sent back in time to the days of Vegeta's enslavement to Frieza, Bra must find her way back home and defeat those who had attacked her family.
1. Lesson One

**Summary:** (AU) Bra is your typical teenager – that is, if you ignore the fact that she is the fifteen-year-old daughter to the richest woman in the world and an alien prince of a fallen warrior race. With growing interests in shopping, fashion, music, and boys, there seems to be little room left in her busy life for her father's "uncool" training sessions. However, her peaceful, easygoing lifestyle is one day interrupted by an attack on Capsule Corp. Getting caught up in the conflict, she is sent back into the past to the days of Vegeta's service under Frieza. Bra must figure out a way to return to her era and save her family and friends from the alien attackers.

**Author's Note(s):** Some background information for saiyan culture can be found on my author's page. It is not necessary to read this information to understand this story. It is merely there for reference if more insight is desired.

**Disclaimer:** Copyrighted material contained within this fan fiction is the property of its respected owners. No profit is to be made from this fan fiction. This fan fiction is for entertainment purposes only.

* * *

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson One  
__Always Be Prepared_

_ By the time I was twelve years old, I was strong enough to defeat, in a spar, the strongest men in the world. And by 'strongest men,' I mean strongest _human_ men. Even still, Daddy was determined to have me train with him for several hours each week. At that age, it was the last thing I wanted to do. I felt I had better things to do with my time, like shopping or hanging out with my friends. But he would hear none of it._

_ "Why do I have to know how to fight?" I asked him one day._

_ I was frustrated with him, to say the least. He had been goading me to try to strike him all afternoon – while he was powered up into his super saiyan form – and I had been unsuccessful thus far._

_ "You will know how to fight because that is what saiyans do," came his answer. That was _always_ his answer._

_ "But I'm only _half _saiyan," I reminded him. "I'm also half human and my human half says I don't have to know how to fight."_

_ He powered down; his gold hair and teal eyes darkened to their usual black. His face remained passive, but I could tell that he was growing impatient with me. Through our kinship bond, I could feel him unintentionally brush his conscious against my own. I could feel his disappointment. I tried not to feel ashamed at my outburst, and his resulting dismay, but the shame wiggled itself into my core nonetheless._

_ I sighed. "I just don't understand," I tried to placate him. "You and Trunks, Uncle Goku and Gohan and Goten. All of you are so much stronger than me. What use could you possibly have of me in a battle? A _real_ battle? You don't need me to know how to fight..."_

_ Daddy remained quiet for some time. His expression remained stoic. But I could feel a shift in his demeanor. He was no longer disappointed. Just... sad, perhaps? I knew he was trying to puzzle out a way to answer me. So I waited. After several long minutes, his composure seemed to deflate._

_ "As strong as I am, as strong as your brother is, as strong as Kakarot and his brood are... We may not always be able to come to your aid in a time of need. If you always rely on us to save you, then you will not be able to save yourself before it's too late. You must always be prepared for the situation where you will be unable to rely on anyone but yourself."_

_ When he finished, I knew that he was right. I couldn't argue with that logic. Even though I doubted the day would ever come that none of my saiyan family or friends would be able to help me in the face of danger. But I couldn't ignore the wave of concern that I felt through the bond I shared with Daddy. It wasn't for him that he made me train every week. It was for me._

_~from The Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Age 793, May 27th  
Location: West City, Earth

The sun rose on another beautiful morning in West Capital. The weather was turning warmer. The birds were out singing to each other. The citizens were trickling out of their homes to begin their commutes to work and school.

Life inside the family wing of Capsule Corp. headquarters was starting out as usual, except for one difference. Today was Bra Brief's fifteenth birthday. The young heiress practically bounced down the steps, filled with the happy excitement of her very special day. Although her day would start out no different than normal – she was planning on attending school that day, even though her mother had offered to let her stay home – she had a huge celebration planned for that evening. And because her birthday had fallen on a Friday this year, there was no specific curfew for her party to end. "7:00pm to ?" the invitations had said.

The birthday girl pranced into the kitchen where all the members of her family had gathered for breakfast. As usual, her pappy was seated at the table with a newspaper in front of his face – the deep wrinkles in his skin and thin wisps of hair indicated his ninety-three years. Her grammy, despite her own aging body (and the presence of many servo-bots), insisted on bringing servings and helpings to the table. Also seated at the table was Bra's mother; one hand holding a cup of coffee and the other scrolling through charts on a tablet. Next to Bulma, Trunks was finishing his breakfast before he and his mother headed to the R&amp;D wing. Just as Bra had entered the kitchen from the second floor, Vegeta had entered from the other side of the room. Wearing only a pair of training shorts and sneakers, he had obviously just returned from his early morning jog.

"Good morning, my lovely family!" Bra sang as she plopped herself down in an empty seat next to her pappy.

From her parents and her brother, she got grunts of acknowledgment. They were all too engrossed in their activities, be it food or company business. But the response she got from her grandparents was much better.

"Good morning, pumpkin," her pappy happily returned the greeting, setting his paper to the side while doing so. "How are you today?"

"I'm good, Pappy. How are you?"

"I seem to be doing rather well. The arthritis isn't so bad today." His smile morphed into contemplation when he added, "But I think my memory is on the fritz. Seems as though there's something important that has slipped my mind..."

Bra giggled. Doc Briefs had been saying the same thing on every one of her birthdays.

"Oh, dear, there's nothing wrong with your memory! You very well know what day it is today," Kiki Briefs chided her husband. She turned to Bra and handed her a tiny package wrapped in pink paper and elegant ribbons. "Happy birthday, sweetie!"

"Thank you, Grammy," Bra said as she accepted the gift. "Are you sure I can open it now? My party isn't until later..."

Her grammy waved her age-spotted hand dismissively. "You go ahead and open it now. You'll be so busy entertaining your friends tonight to bother with your Pappy and me."

Bra gave her grandmother a mock-pout. "Don't say that, Grammy! I'll always have time for you and Pappy!"

Kiki, while touched by her granddaughter's honest and heartfelt rebuke, pushed Bra onward. "Well, go on! Open it!"

The teenager's gaze dropped to the package in her hands. By now, she had gained the attention of her parents and her brother. Bulma and Trunks took a moment to pull themselves out of their own little worlds to give her their full and undivided attention. While Vegeta continued to shovel food into his mouth, his decreased pace was enough indication for Bra to know that he was watching as well.

Bra carefully slid the ribbons off of the small present and set them aside. How her grandmother was able to tie so many ribbons around such a small box was beyond her. She found a seam in the paper and gently tore it away. A jewelry box was revealed to her, but she had already guessed what type of box it was based on touch alone. She flipped open the lid and sucked in a breath of air. Inside was a pair of teardrop-shaped ruby earrings.

"Oh, Grammy... they're beautiful! Thank you so much!"

The birthday girl stood up and gave her grandmother a hug and a kiss on the cheek. The feel of her grandmother's small, bony form caused Bra to be consciously mindful of her own strength. After the embrace, she showed the earrings to her parents and brother. Bulma complimented her mother on her selection. Trunks agreed that they looked nice. Vegeta nodded his acknowledgment but said nothing otherwise and continued with his meal. Bra sat back down in her seat. She removed the earrings from the box and hooked them into her ears.

"They look perfect on you, sweetie!" Kiki cooed.

The Doc then chimed in, "Don't forget my gift!"

He slid a gift bag across the table towards Bra. The bag, with the image of balloons and "Happy Birthday" printed all over it, was much larger than the box that her grammy had given her. Bra pushed the white tissue paper aside and found a box deep inside. Her eyes widened when she saw what it was. From the bag, she pulled out the newest piece of technology that the company was producing: the CC smart watch.

"Oh my... Pappy! These aren't even available in stores yet!"

The elderly man beamed. "That's the very first one off of the production line, my dear. Not even your brother has one yet."

Bra glanced over at Trunks to gauge his reaction. As the head of the company's R&amp;D team, it was usually his privilege to own new tech first. But instead of receiving a bitter or jealous look from the twenty-seven-year old, she got an impish smile.

"It's true," he confirmed.

Her pappy grabbed her attention again. "That watch comes with all the standard applications; current time in all the time zones, calendar, event planner, calculator, dictionary, address book, contact list, cell phone, GPS, compass, and weather forecaster. It has a built-in 22 megapixel camera _and_ has four holo-lenses to project a three dimensional display. In addition, it can connect wirelessly to just about any computerized device you already own; your smart phone, your laptop, the computers in your mother's labs..."

"That's so champ!" she breathed.

"But there's one more function that's been programmed into your smart watch that no other smart watch will have," her pappy stated.

Bra's curiosity was peaked. "What's that?"

Bulma, having an idea, blurted, "You didn't..." But her interruption went unnoticed.

The Doc answered his granddaughter. "There's a dragonball locator designed into it as well."

"Really?" the teenager asked.

"Yep," her pappy confirmed.

Bra didn't know how to respond so instead she stood up from her seat once more and gave her grandfather a hug and a kiss on his wrinkled cheek. "Thank you so much, Pappy!"

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

When Bra peeled herself away from her pappy, Trunks cleared his throat to gain her attention. "My turn," he said as he tossed a small envelope across the table. "I'm not sure if I'll make it to your party tonight or not, but I figured I'd give it to you now."

Her brother's words only fueled her curiosity. She picked up the envelope; it was almost too small to contain a card of any sort. But there was one tucked away inside, nonetheless. She carefully slid it out of its case and two laminated squares of paper fell onto the surface of the table. She retrieved these, but before looking at them, she read the handwritten words on the inside of the card first, scrawled in her brother's scratchy penmanship. It read:

_To my baby sister who isn't a baby anymore. Happy birthday, sis. Love, Trunks._

Bra smiled at the birthday wish and then finally focused on the plastic sleeves in her other hand. Concert tickets. She turned them over. The front displayed the words _Sunrise Five_ and _Backstage Pass_. Her jaw dropped. Her brother had gotten her tickets to see her absolute favorite boy band!

"Oh, Trunks! This is fantabulous!"

The lavender-haired man blushed a little under the compliment. "I figured that you'd like 'em. I recently retrofitted their tour buses with several upgrades. As thanks for getting the upgrades finished so quickly, their manager gave me the tickets."

"Thank you, Trunks!" Bra practically skipped around the table and latched onto her brother. She didn't hold anything back in this hug, knowing full well that her big and strong brother could handle it. He lightly returned the embrace; he didn't share the bubbly exuberance that his sister had.

Bulma sighed. "Well, since we all seem to be doing gifts now, I suppose it won't hurt to give you mine, too."

Bra separated from her brother so she could face her mother. "If you want to wait until the party, that's okay, Momma."

"Well, I think you may want it before the party anyway," the Capsule Corp. CEO replied.

She handed a large, but light, box to her daughter. Bra carefully peeled away the sparkling blue paper to reveal a clothing box. She lifted the lid. Inside was a rich red garment. Bra lifted the item from the box slowly with eyes full of wonder. It was beautiful silk dress, spaghetti straps, a low cut back, and fell to mid-thigh. It was the dress that Bra had been eyeballing for several weeks.

"Oh, momma..." she breathed. "Thank you so much!" She set the dress back down and gave her mother a huge hug.

When the mother and daughter duo separated, Bulma added, "And I have another surprise for you. I know you said you couldn't skip school today because of an exam, so I'm going to pick you up early instead. I've made an appointment to take you to _Madame's Health and Beauty Spa_ this afternoon. Facial, manicure, pedicure, full body massage, the whole deal. I promise, you'll love it."

A wide smile spread across the teenager's face. "Thank you, momma. It sounds like it'll be a lot of fun!"

Bulma nodded in agreement, happy that her daughter was pleased. At that moment, Vegeta excused himself from the table without a word. His silent departure garnered the attention of the entire family. Bra wondered if perhaps he had left to retrieve a gift he had gotten for her, since everyone else had preemptively done so. She, like everyone else, waited for his return. But when he never came back, the anticipation in the air shifted to awkwardness. Everyone slowly averted their attentions back towards the tasks they had been in the midst of before the gift exchange had started; the Doc to his paper, Kiki to her cooking, Bulma to her tablet, and Trunks to his breakfast.

Bra tried not to let her disappointment show on her face. She had gotten so many wonderful presents already. How could she expect herself to demand more? But it wasn't the lack of or desire for more material things that plagued her. It was about her father acknowledging her birthday. She loved her father very much. He was her Daddy. She might not always understand him and sometimes his behaviors may seem odd to her. But his approval had always been important to her. Perhaps it was because his expectations were so high. Perhaps it was because everyone else in her family just accepted her for who she was, whether she grew up to work in a high position in the family business or if she followed her grammy's footsteps and became a housewife. It was always her father who had pushed her, who had demanded more from her, who worked very hard to guide and shape her life.

It was for these reason that it hurt her, just a little bit, when he had gotten up and left the room without so much as a "Happy birthday" from him.

Bra ate a quick breakfast as these thoughts rattled around her head and her disappointment festered in her her heart. A car horn from the front courtyard alerted Bra to the fact that her friends had pulled up out front to pick her up for school. She jumped up from her seat, said goodbye to each of her family members, sans Vegeta, and headed for the front vestibule. She grabbed her bag on her way out, quickly greeted the secretary and security guards stationed in the vestibule, and exited the building. As she climbed into the red sedan and received birthday wishes from her friends, she decided to put the unpleasant feelings of her father's aloofness out of her mind. This was her birthday and she was going to enjoy it.

* * *

Bra sat in her sixth period classroom. The room was silent except for the sounds of pencils scratching on sheets of paper and buttons being pressed on graphing calculators. A set of calculus equations, unsolved, were written on the white board at the front of the room. The teacher, a middle-aged brunette woman, sat at her desk, using the time to write up future lesson plans and homework assignments, no doubt. The two dozen students – all two to three year's Bra's senior – had their heads bent over the math problems they were working on.

The blue-haired teenager looked up at the numbers and symbols written in blue dry-erase marker on the boards in front of the classroom. Then back down to the paper on the desk in front of her. She had worked out the first three of the ten equations almost without having to think about them. The problems were just too easy for her. They provided absolutely no challenge.

Twice already, Bra had skipped ahead in school. She knew that she could have easily skipped ahead once or twice more, just as her brother had done. But she also knew how this behavior had isolated Trunks. With every grade level that Trunks had skipped, the age gap between himself and his classmates had widened ever more so until, eventually, he was enrolled in courses among those who were five years older than him. And what seventeen- or eighteen-year-old wants to associate with a twelve-year-old? Only those who wished to prey upon his wealth and naivety.

Bra, who craved social bonds much more than Trunks ever had, didn't want to repeat the same mistake her brother had made and she had refused to skip ahead any further than she already had. She wanted to form _real_ friendships, not the fake friends who had taken advantage of her brother. And she had done just that. But the payoff for her social life was that she was intellectually unchallenged.

Despite how easy the exam questions were, Bra simply couldn't concentrate. She knew that she should have been able to complete the test within fifteen minutes, if even that. But the end of the forty-five minute class period was less than ten minutes away. And still, she was only halfway through the fourth equation. So what was it that was distracting her? There was an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something akin to... adrenaline? nerves? anxiety? But why? She had no reason to experience this build up of nervous energy. It must be that she was excited over her birthday celebrations later that day. An afternoon at the spa with Momma, followed by a massive party. Yea. That was it. She was just excited over her plans.

But how could she explain the sense of foreboding she was experiencing? _It's as if the air feels... off._ She shook that thought aside. _How redonkulous! I can't feel how the air is!_ The argument felt weak, however, as if she was trying to fool herself. It was almost as if the very air itself carried a vibration that was so subtle that it was undetectable by normal human senses. It seemed to pull at her. It called out to her; her blood seemed to thrum in sync with the soft, alluring pulse of energy in the air. Her hands were trembling, she realized. She flattened her palms against the surface of her desk, trying to settle her nerves. And that was when she felt a major shake rumble beneath her, a shock wave so great that her classmates felt it as well. Murmuring erupted around her as everyone discussed the possible cause of the disturbance.

_Was that an earthquake?_ Bra wondered. A minor one, perhaps, just barely strong enough to alert everyone to its presence. But no, that couldn't be right. There were two major flaws with that theory. First, the shock wave was too short lived to have been an earthquake. Instead, it felt as if it had struck her and then passed over her just as quickly as it raced away from its source. Second, she knew that West City didn't lie anywhere near any fault lines. So what had caused the unusual occurrence?

"Oh my God!" one of the students called out above the mumbles of speculation. "Look!"

Everyone followed his gaze out the window. The window faced West City and offered a perfect view. Except that perfect view was now tainted with billowing black smoke from some unknown location at the opposite side of the metropolis. Tests forgotten, the students and their teacher rushed towards the windows for a better look. They theorized what the cause of such smoke could be. A gas line broken during the earthquake, maybe? Or maybe a building that was not up to code had fallen over? On and on it went like this.

Only Bra had remained in her seat. _Something terrible is happening._ _But_ what_?_ _There must have been an explosion somewhere in the city. It's the only thing that could explain that shock wave and the fire fueling that massive cloud of smoke..._ Instinctively, she did what she usually did when she was riddled with unsettling thoughts and feelings; she reached out through her kinship bond in search of her brother's comfort and her father's reassurance. But when she reached out to them, she found... nothing. She reeled in her mental projection, gasping. _Why can't I feel Daddy or Trunks? _Her fears magnified tenfold with the inability to form a mental connection with her family. No, it was more than not being able to connect with them. It was as if they were... gone. Missing. Nonexistent.

The blue-haired teen mechanically rose from her chair and unconsciously grabbed her bag at her feet. She joined her classmates by the window. Shorter than them due to her age, she had to push her way to the glass pane. There was no difficulty in forcing her way through since she was so much stronger than them. The few students that she had gently shoved out of her way gave her odd looks as she did so, but with the more interesting mystery unfolding beyond their limited view of the city, they paid little attention to her sudden and inexplicable strength.

Bra reached the window and looked out. Thick, black, ugly smoke belched into the sky; its source lay somewhere on the other side of a large cluster of buildings in the distance. These buildings were among the first built when the city had been established and were dwarfed by the skyscrapers in the city center. If these historical buildings had been large like their newer counterparts, she doubted they'd have been able to see the smoke at all.

The blunette's eyes widened as she took in the sight. She knew exactly where that smoke was coming from. _It's coming from Capsule Corporation! _ The dread in the pit of her stomach intensified. She felt nauseous with fear. She slung her bag onto her back to free up her hands and then pressed both palms on the glass panel. She pushed. With little effort, the pane popped out from its frame; the window fell to the asphalt three stories below and shattered. Startled, her classmates backed away from the open portal, fearing for their safety and not realizing that the panel had been intentionally forced out. Ignoring her fellow students, Bra climbed onto the windowsill. A few of the students called out to her.

_ "_What are you doing?"

"Get away from there!"

"Bra, be careful! That's dangerous!"

She didn't listen to them as she hung out of the window. She launched herself away from the building. As she fell beneath the line of sight of her classmates, she could hear them gasp and cry out in alarm. But they had no reason to fear. Bra gathered up her ki beneath her and propelled herself skyward. The students gasped in awe and wonder as they watched her magically fly away towards the smoky distance. The teacher collapsed in a faint.

* * *

Once Bra was out in the open, the odd sensations she felt in the air had intensified. There was a strange hum, a subtle energy electrifying the air. It was peculiar and unfamiliar to her. Not unlike ki, yet not like it either. _What _is it_ that I keep feeling? Where is it coming from?_ Well... she knew _where_ it was coming from; from the direction of Capsule Corporation. But from _who_ was it coming? And _how_? And it was strong, too. Very strong. Its magnitude stirred her anxiety and the absence of her father's and brother's presence only exacerbated this anxiety. And at the same time, she felt drawn to it. She was compelled to investigate. If not for any other reason, she had to know what was going on. To make sure that her family was alright.

The closer Bra got to her home, the thicker and blacker the smoke swirling in the air became. She was close enough now to smell its acrid, horrific scent. And given the innumerable amount of different chemicals and materials stored at CC Headquarters, the smoke was likely extremely dangerous to inhale. She covered her face with a hand to try to block the toxic fumes, but of course it did little to filter the air she was inhaling. Her eyes watered and her throat burned, but she pressed on.

The yellow dome building that served as her home and her family's business came into view. Thick, ugly smoke was billowing out from the family wing. She froze in place overlooking her home. She gasped as she realized the horrors of this fact. _Grammy and Pappy were in there! Did they get out in time? Were they even home when the explosion happened? Are they alright? Where are they now?_ And then came the second important question. Because the smoke was coming from the family wing and not the R&amp;D wing, as she had expected, she wondered, _how had the fire started?_

Bra approached the building. Emergency crews had not yet arrived. Capsule Corp. employees were fleeing from the building, racing from all exits. All exits except for the family wing, located on the west side of the dome. She landed on the side of the west wing where there were few people to see her in flight and where the smoke would obscure her from those who _could_ have seen her. She raced towards the patio doors which would take her into the kitchen. But an imposing figure suddenly filled the doorway from within, blocking her entrance into the building. She skidded to a halt.

The man preventing Bra's access to her home was humanoid, but definitely not human. He had dark purple skin and shoulder-length yellow hair that was so light that it looked almost white. He was very tall and his muscles were bulky. _Too bulky_, she observed, _like a Brute_. His body took up almost the entire doorway. He wore body armor from head to toe, but the armor was far different than the armor her father wore from time to time. This man's armor was sleek, formfitting, and black. Clipped over his ear was a communication device. And from the earpiece, a single lens was attached that sat in front of his left eye. Bra recognized it as a scouter. He pressed a button on the side of the scouter and she could see digits light up on the lens. The numbers stopped after a moment and the man's grin grew even wider. Too late, she realized, she should have lowered her ki.

His lips were parted in a gleeful sneer. His eyes were deep black obsidian pits filled with malice. They ran down the length of Bra's body and back up again, making her feel exposed, dirty, and vulnerable. The Brute took a step forward, crossing the threshold and onto the patio. Unnerved, Bra took a step back. The man took another step towards her. She stepped back again. Each time the teenager retreated, the man's eyes grew more predatory.

The Brute pressed another button on the scouter and then spoke in a language that Bra had never heard before. "O gu'eirv eruds ei'ar eid e jo ku'eis maigaim. O daiht chaa nov kaa ag zi'aa'er kmav vei." A pause while he listened to the response on the other end. And then, "Egsnevaig."

The look the Brute gave Bra caused chills to run up and down her spine. Fear pooled in the pit of her stomach. She bolted. The girl launched herself into the air. She needn't glance behind her to know that he was in fast pursuit. Tears formed in her eyes as terror filled her. She wished more than anything that her daddy or even her big brother were there to save her. The blunette attempted evasive maneuvers. She darted up and down, left and right. She used the billowing smoke a few times to try to throw him off of her trail.

Despite Bra's speed and agility, the Brute was quickly gaining on her. She realized she had no choice but to turn and fight. He would catch her soon anyhow, and with her father and brother missing, she was on her own. The blunette turned to face her pursuer just in time to block a fist that had been aimed at the back of her head. She reacted without thought. She blocked his fist with her left forearm. He pressed the attack with a series of blows. Left jab, right hook, right uppercut, left cross, right kick. To these, she also acted without thinking. Dodge, duck, block, dodge, block.

The blue-haired girl defended herself very well. In truth, she was absolutely terrified. Her thoughts were chaotic. _What do I do? I've never been in a real fight before!_ _Why am I being attacked? How am I going to stop him?_ She was too frightened to do more than defend herself. She was incapable of forming any offense. Her ability to formulate a plan of attack had oozed out of her the very moment this man began to chase her. Her current actions were fueled only by instinct and self-preservation.

Unfortunately, Bra's luck was about to change for the worse. She was focused on her attacker. Too focused. She hadn't detected the arrival of a newcomer. The teenager was taken by surprise with a brutal blow delivered to the side of her head. She immediately plummeted to the ground, crashing into her grandmother's garden. Fertilizer, wood chips, and flowers exploded upon impact.

Bits of dirt and debris rained down upon Bra's prone form. She didn't immediately rise from her impact crater. Instead, she quietly whimpered, clutching the left side of her face. Pain throbbed from her temple down to her jawbone. The girl sobbed. _Why is this happening to me? Where's Daddy? Where's Trunks? Why aren't they here to save me? _ The sound of two sets of feet setting down on the ground reminded her that she was not alone; that she couldn't afford to be weak and sniveling. She slowly sat up, opened her eyes, and looked upon the new arrival.

This one was a female. Much more slender than the male, but almost as tall. Her skin was a lighter shade of purple and her waist-length hair was a fiery red. Her armor matched that of her male counterpart and she, too, had a scouter. The woman's eyes were dark brown and looked upon Bra with a mocking pity. Her lips, painted a dark purple, smirked with evil delight. _Yes, you even look like a Bitch_, Bra thought hatefully.

The woman spoke to her comrade. "Es aa'ei cheis chai aiz dai vevs ag e zi'aa'er? Chai zaanz vei kedaivait vei naa."

"Chai nazv kaa ei'ar. Js ku'eis maigaim oz vei jo," he answered.

The Bitch hummed in thought. "Eiz dai zmairaiv uu'ig ur js. O ei'erv vei zaa og chai saa'etvz vei aiv."

The Brute pressed a button on a device strapped to his left wrist. Instantly, that bizarre energy that Bra had felt earlier flared to life once again. Now that she was at point blank range, the sensation was overwhelming. She felt as if she were drowning in it. It flowed over her and through her. The energy sang to a deep place within her core, triggering an indescribable and unnameable instinct. The teenager could feel herself surrendering to its call. She was slowly becoming a thrall to the power of the vibration. She was aware of this fact, but helpless to stop it. This paralyzing inability to shake off the effect it had on her caused her fright to escalate. Yet, at the same time, she felt soothed by the energy they were projecting at her.

Finally, relief came. The Brute pressed something on his wrist again, and the sensation stopped. Immediately, Bra felt as if she had been released from a hypnotic spell. She felt a wave a dizziness, but it was only momentary. The only lasting effect was that she suddenly felt empty and unsatisfied without the energy's influence on her. This hollow feeling of unfulfillment bothered her terribly. It indicated that the power of the sensation was too potent, too addicting... and too controlling.

Unfortunately for Bra, her situation was about to get even worse. A third intruder arrived. He landed gently on the ground, taking a place in front of the other two. _Their Boss, then_, Bra inferred based upon the fact that he placed himself in front of the others. His skin was almost as dark a shade of purple as the Brute. His height fell in between his male and female counterparts. His short cropped hair was a dark orange. He was muscular, but lean. His black eyes were stoic, calculating, drinking in Bra's form. She tried to appear confident under his scrutiny, but the aftermath of that energy wave hindered her.

Finally, he spoke. To her surprise, it was in human common. "You are a saiyan." It was not a question, but rather, spoken as a known fact.

The blunette's eyes widened a fraction. _How did he know?_ She mentally slapped herself. _The scouter, of course!_ _The Brute had gotten my ki reading and probably reported it to Boss-man here. They know I'm not like normal humans. But their first guess is that I'm a saiyan? How could they have immediately come to that conclusion? Was it that energy wave they hit me with? Was it meant to cause a reaction only in saiyans and no other species? It seems probable... _ But she refused to confirm his spoken observation. They weren't going to get any information from her if she could help it. Bra scowled defiantly at her attackers as she rose to her feet. She winced momentarily, pain caused by her earlier impact shot up and down her left side.

But the Bitch grinned triumphantly, having inferred the confirmation from Bra's silence. "Ah, you _are_ saiyan!" she replied, using the human language – and butchering it horrifically. "You scowl exactly like scoundrel prince. Daughter you must be. Though, coloring is odd. But coloring of son of prince was odd too."

Bra mentally cursed. _How could they have figured it out so quickly? Am I being careless?_ Apparently, she wasn't schooling her features very well... _But the Bitch is being careless too. She compared me to Daddy and Trunks. So they must have already run into them. That's the only explanation. How else would they know how they look? And since they must have encountered Daddy and Trunks, then they must know what has happened to them._

The Boss spoke again. "She is the last one, then." His subordinates nodded. "Once we have dealt with this one, this planet shall be cleansed of the saiyan plague."

Bra's eyes widened fearfully. _Her Daddy. Trunks. Uncle Goku. Gohan, Goten, and Pan. What did they do to them?_ She shook with rage. She felt sick with fear. _They were all so strong! How could these... _people_ have possibly defeated her saiyan family and friends? Wasn't Uncle Goku one of the strongest men in the universe? Wasn't her father a very close second? How could this have possibly happened?_

"What did you to do them?" Bra demanded, trying and failing miserably at holding back tears of anger and grief. She tried to sound strong, but even in her own ears, she sounded meek.

The Boss obliged her an answer, but it was vague. "We have neutralized the saiyans inhabiting his world. We have guaranteed that no more harm will come as a result of their actions."

Bra didn't understand. _What harm have any of them ever caused? They all live peacefully here on Earth. All of them have saved the Earth many times over. Uncle Goku liberated the galaxy from Frieza's tyranny. And then he and Daddy saved the universe from evil Buu's sadism. What did they do wrong?_

"You're making a mistake," the teenager argued pitifully. "They were all _good_ people." She wiped away a traitorous tear that had spilled down her cheek.

The Brute and the Bitch snickered at her as if she were a naïve little girl. The former mocked, "Girl thinks saiyans good! Ha!"

Bra was insulted. And rightfully so. "They _are_ good," she insisted, but then realized how childish she sounded. No wonder they were amused by her. She could feel her face burn with embarrassment.

The Bitch rebutted, "No saiyans are good. All saiyans make war and death. Know nothing of love. No value for life."

"You're wrong," the teenager growled.

"Your father is the saiyan prince, Vegeta, yes?" the Boss inquired.

"Would it make a difference whether I confirmed or denied it?" Bra snapped.

The Boss answered her question. "I suppose it does not, though I suspect that you are indeed the daughter of the vile prince."

"Don't call him that," Bra demanded, but her request was ignored.

"The prince of all saiyans. Vegeta II. He, of all the saiyans, was the most despicable. All of the crimes committed by the rest of the saiyan race _combined_ are nothing in comparison to what your father wrought in his youth. You, little girl, are sprung from the seed of a monster."

The blunette shook with fury. _How can this jerk stand there and spew such horrific lies? Daddy is a good man! Sure, he's a little rough around the edges. Yea, he's often difficult and stubborn. And everyone knows that he can be impatient and short-tempered. And, yea, sometimes he fails to acknowledge important events – like my birthday today. But that doesn't mean Daddy isn't a good person! He's also fiercely loyal and protective. He's honest with everything he says and does, even if the truth is brutal. He always makes himself available to me and Trunks whenever we need his advice or guidance. And although he has a funny way of showing it, I know that Daddy loves us._

The Boss could see from Bra's defiant glare that she refused to believe the allegations against Vegeta's character. "I see you are disillusioned. Your father has told you nothing of his past, has he?"

"He's told me," the blue-haired girl insisted. But the truth was that very little had actually been revealed to her. She knew of her father's indenture into Frieza's army. She knew that he had been forced to work against his will for the arcosian prince. But he had never actually told her what that had consisted of. This black hole birthed a fraction of doubt in her mind.

The Boss picked up on her uncertainty. "Prince Vegeta has committed atrocities too many in his lifetime to count. He was Frieza's favored pet, loosed upon the galaxy. He was an enslaver of many races. A murderer. A slayer of entire species. And a destroyer of worlds."

Bra felt her world fall out from beneath her. _Was this true? Did Daddy _really_ do those things? No_, she refuted. _He's lying. He's just trying to unnerve me. Daddy's never hurt anyone who wasn't evil. Right? As far as I _know_ he hasn't done anything bad._ But the Boss had planted the seed of doubt in her mind and she no longer knew what to believe.

_They're gonna kill me cuz Daddy was a bad guy_, Bra fretted. _Just like they killed Daddy and Trunks and Uncle Goku and everyone else! _Bra wiped away another tear that had spilled from her eye. She hadn't realized that she had been crying. She hated looking so weak and vulnerable. She cursed herself.

_ Dammit Bra, pull yourself together. Don't listen to him!_ _This guy is trying to confuse you! You have to think straight. Remember... Daddy taught you how to fight. You have to fight, to save yourself, so that you can save everyone else later. _

_ But I can't fight all three of them at once,_ she knew.

_Of course not. That's why you have to get them to split up. _

_ But how? _

_ Lie to them, convince them_.

_ ...Okay._

Bra sniffled. "So... that's why you... why my Daddy and my brother are d- d- ...gone?" She couldn't force the word _dead_ past her lips.

"Yes," answered the Boss.

"And Uncle Goku's family?"

"I presume you are referring to the saiyan known as Kakarot. Yes."

_Okay, Bra. Here we go..._

"And Auntie Celera? Mr. Kale? Soy? All of them?"

This time the Boss didn't immediately answer. But his face remained stoic, hiding whether or not he believed her. The Bitch and the Brute, however, showed concern and alarm. They looked to their leader with questioning looks, not that he could see their faces behind his back. They waited for his next order. The Boss continued to scrutinize the blue-haired girl.

_Come on, Bra! Make it convincing!_

The teenager hiccuped. Fresh tears fell down her face. "You _did_ get them all, didn't you?" She let her face crumple in grief. This grief came a little too naturally after she spoke her last sentence, knowing that _'all of them'_ included all of her loved ones.

It was enough to convince the Boss. "Go," he ordered his comrades. "Sweep the planet for these other saiyans. After I've finished with this one, I shall join you."

The Bitch and the Brute waited no longer. They immediately launched themselves into the sky, heading in opposite directions. _Good. They took the bait. Now you can take this guy. _

But Bra still had her doubts. _How am I supposed to do that? This guy is stronger than the other two are. _And _he was able to defeat Daddy and Trunks and everyone else. How am I supposed to beat him? _

_ Fight dirty._

_ What? Fight dirty? But that's dishonorable!_

_ Was it honorable when that Bitch sucker-punched you? Was it honorable when they stunned you with that device? Was it honorable when the three of them had you surrounded and were going to off you?_

_ Well... no..._

_ No, it wasn't. This stopped being honorable the moment they started killing your friends and family. And what good will honor do you when _you're _dead too?_

_ You're right._

The Boss, seeing Bra's vulnerability, continued his spiel by recalling a personal account, intending to break her resolve further. "Prince Vegeta is the very culprit who destroyed my home world. Only myself and my two siblings are the survivors. Every last one of my people are gone, by your father's hands, snuffed out with little more than a passing thought. Mine is only _one_ example of your father's heinous crimes, of all the atrocities he committed."

Bra shook with a long list of emotions. Fury and fear were at the top of that list. Anger at his words. Afraid that he was right. Anger at herself for standing there like a fool. Afraid that she would continue to stand there. Her tears were beyond her control at that point and it made her face burn with shame. _I don't want him to think I'm weak. I don't want him to see me as easy prey._

But in that moment, an idea formed in her mind. _No, _let_ him see you as scared and helpless. _Let _him think that you are powerless to stop them. And when his guard is down... strike!_

The blunette poured on the waterworks. "No, Daddy isn't like that," the blunette pathetically sobbed. "You're wrong." She let her tears flow freely now. Her enemy showed no pity, but she could see that already his posture had relaxed. _Good. Now I need a distraction_, she plotted. She knew exactly what to do.

"I'm afraid not," the Boss patronized. "And now, I'm sorry to tell you, but it's time to end this."

The intruder stepped towards Bra. The teenager stepped back, faking a stumble while doing so. _He'll think I'm clumsy,_ she knew, _and all the better to ease him into a false sense of superiority._ Sure enough, his grin widened, reflecting the gain in his confidence. He stretched a hand out towards her, gathering red ki in the palm of his hand. She timidly ducked her head. She brought both of her hands up to her face to wipe away her tears, shutting her eyes tight as if to rid them of the unwanted moisture.

_ Now for the delivery,_ she thought.

Instead of clearing her face of her tears, she lifted her outstretched hands to the sides of her face and called out, "SOLAR FLARE!"

Her adversary's scream signified her success. Bra wasted no time. She launched herself at the intruder. She threw a series of attacks at him. Blinded by the _solar flare_, the Boss was unable to defend himself. She threw a right uppercut to his chin. A left and then a right jab to his stomach. He hunched over. She kneed him in his face. He stumbled backwards as blood gushed from his nose. She lunged forward, closing the sudden gap, and threw her right elbow into his sternum. He gasped for air. Relentlessly, she kicked him in the left side of his head with her right foot, connecting with the scouter attached there and shattering it to pieces. He staggered to his right.

By then, the Boss's sight began to return. Bra threw a left hook at him, but he was able to dodge it. She didn't give up, however. She followed it with a right cross, but this time he blocked it. She thrust her left knee at him. He countered with a left hook of his own. It glanced off of her cheek. The contact, while it didn't hurt much, still shocked her. The Boss pressed his attack with several jabs. Right, left, left, right, left. She blocked the first two, took the third to her ribcage, the fourth to her jaw, and barely ducked below the last.

_Come on, Bra! You aren't fighting dirty!_

_That's right!_ she realized. Still crouched beneath the Boss's last attack, Bra delivered a powerful uppercut to his groin. He doubled over in pain. _Keep going!_ She kneed him again in the nose. And again. The Boss weakly reached a hand up towards her and blasted her with ki. The blunette released her opponent and staggered backwards, clutching her singed face. New tears sprung from her eyes.

Her opponent was recovering. He stumbled to his feet, one hand still cupping his groin. He gritted his teeth in anger. The blood from his nose streamed over his mouth and coated his teeth. Bra blinked the tears from her eyes. She dropped herself into a fighting stance. She expected the Boss to make the next move; she was suddenly intimidated by the fury on his face. Instead, he quickly schooled his features and reigned in his temper. He wiped the excess blood from his face and inspected it. Then he grinned at her, a cross between malice and amusement.

"You know, you almost had me fooled," the Boss scoffed. "I was almost convinced that you were an anomaly among the saiyans. I began to think that you were completely naïve and sheltered from your saiyan ways. For a brief moment, I began to wonder if you even _were_ a saiyan. But I see now that that's not true. You've more than proven to me that you are just as ruthless and sadistic as the rest of your despicable race."

Bra bristled. "Stop saying that! We _aren't_ evil or despicable or _any_ of those things you keep saying!"

The Boss ignored her rant. "You see, I _was_ going to be merciful. I _was_ going to make your end quick and painless. But I see that that simply will not do. Since you refuse to believe what you are, what your species has done, what your father truly is, I feel that it is only fitting that you should find out for yourself. And after you have faced this reality, I shall let you cling to the rest of your days suffering with the brutal truth."

The blunette was perplexed, yet skeptical. "What are you talking about? What are you gonna make me do? Write a research paper about it? Oh, wait, I know! You're gonna make me watch old home movies of your planet's demise!"

It was a low blow, and she knew it, but if she could unnerve him like he had attempted to do to her minutes before, then perhaps she could regain the upper hand. His response, however, was little more than a slight narrowing of his eyes. He raised his right hand and gathered energy into his palm.

"Tsuuruu zgais."

The Boss released the red sphere of ki from his hand. Bra braced herself for the impact, crossing her arms in front of her. The energy connected with her. To her surprise, it didn't hurt. It did, however, seem to consume her. It washed over her, covering every square inch of her body, encasing her in a cocoon of foreign energy. It puzzled and amazed her, yet frightened and alarmed her. The teenager had only a moment to ponder her situation when she felt as if she were being lifted off of her feet. _That_ was when the pain started.

Bra felt as if her body was collapsing into itself, forced into a single point deep within her core. The experience was excruciating. She screamed in pain. She curled in on herself, writhing in agony. And when she felt that she could no longer tolerate it, the discomfort disappeared. The next thing she knew, she was falling.


	2. Lesson Two

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Two  
__Blending In_

_ One of the very first things I remember Daddy teaching me was how to control my ki. The first part of this was knowing how to suppress it. This was also the safer part. One inexperienced with ki manipulation couldn't be expected to be able to safely raise and handle his or her ki on the first try. It was much safer to try to suppress one's ki to prevent something unfortunate from occurring. _

_ I was three years old when I had my first lesson in ki control. I'm certain that this lesson came to me much later in my life than it had for Trunks, but I've been told that he had an inclination for combat at a much earlier age than I ever did. Unlike my brother, my lesson was not born from a desire to fight. Although, it _was_ created by the same competitive instinct. For me, the lesson came about during a childhood game._

_ On that day, I was crying when I entered the kitchen of my family home. I was angry and upset and all I wanted was to be left alone. So I had left the party taking place outside on the patio to go somewhere isolated to pout. Instead, I ran into my father who, likewise, had desired solitude over socialization._

_ "Why are you crying, girl?" Daddy's question came out stern and would have likely intimidated normal girls, but I was not_ _a normal girl and had nothing to fear from his gruff demeanor._

_ "Pan an' Marron are chee'in'."_

_ A dark eyebrow perked. "Cheating? At what?"_

_ "Hi' 'n see'."_

_ "You mean, 'hide and seek.'" _

_ "Ya, hide an' see'. We were playin' in Grammy's gahden and dey a'ways fine me! It's not fair!"_

_ "And how do you suppose they are always able to find you?" Daddy's question – and method – was typical. Instead of solving my problems for me, he made me examine the source of my conundrum._

_ I took a few moments to think about his query. What did Pan and Marron do differently? _

_ "Cuz dey can feel me," I answered._

_ "And what do you suggest you ought to do to rectify that?"_

_ "Make it so dey can't feel me," I knew, but the answer only made me upset all over again because, "But I donno how to do dat!"_

_ Daddy sighed. "Come with me, girl," he gently spoke and held a hand out to me. _

_ I took his hand and let him guide me to the Gravity Simulation Room. He shut and locked the door behind us. I had only been inside the GSR once or twice before that point in time. I marveled at the interior of the room within which Daddy spent so much of his time. My wonder made me forget how upset I had been._

_ "Sit," Daddy told me. _

_ I obeyed and plopped down in the middle of the room. Daddy sat down on the floor in front of me, facing me, with much more grace than I had exhibited._

_ "Do you know how to identify your ki?" he asked._

_ I thought again. I had an idea, but how to describe it? "Is it like... doze happy bubbles in my tummy dat wants to come out?"_

_ Daddy lifted an eyebrow in that way he does when he isn't sure how to respond. "Sure..." he finally answered. "Close your eyes."_

_ I closed my eyes._

_ "Concentrate on those... bubbles."_

_ I thought about the bubbles. I imagined that they were floating around inside my body. I imagined that they were big and pink and pretty to look at._

_ "Now, I want you to catch one of those bubbles."_

_ Alarmed, I opened my eyes. "But Daddy! If I try an' catch it, it 'ill pop!"_

_ Daddy took a deep breath, I think to calm his slight annoyance. "These bubbles won't burst when you touch them. Now close your eyes and try to catch one."_

_ I closed my eyes again and thought of the bubbles. I watched them float around until one in particular caught my attention. I imagined myself floating over to it, reaching my hands out to catch it, and then the bubble gently floated down to rest in my hands._

_ Without opening my eyes, I said, "I got one, Daddy."_

_ "Good," he answered. "Now catch another."_

_ "Okay." I watched as another bubble drifted close to me. I reached one hand out towards it and it came to me obediently. "Okay, I got anudder. Now what?"_

_ "Good," Daddy said again. "Now put the two bubbles together."_

_ I imagined that I brought the two bubbles together. When they touched, they became one bigger bubble. "Daddy, it got bigger," I whispered._

_ "Keep going," he instructed, "until all the bubbles are one."_

_ I smiled. "Dat's gonna make one big bubble, Daddy!"_

_ I heard him chuckle, but he said nothing. So I set to the task assigned to me. I imagined that I was collecting all the bubbles floating around inside of me, one at a a time. I added each one to the growing bubble in my left hand. It grew larger and larger in size. When I added the very last bubble to the rest, the bubble was almost as big as I imagined myself to be._

_ "Okay, Daddy. I got dem all."_

_ "Very good," he said. "Now I want you to make that one big bubble smaller."_

_ "Smaller?"_

_ "Yes. Smaller. But remember, it won't break, no matter how small you make it."_

_ "Okay."_

_ I focused on the big pink bubble. It was a shame that I'd have to make it smaller as it was the biggest bubble I had ever seen – well, imagined, anyway. And it was so pretty, too. I imagined that I was putting both of my hands on the bubble. The span of my arms barely wrapped around half of its circumference. I began to push the sides of the bubble inward. It was difficult at first. The bubble resisted. But I could feel that it was very slowly getting smaller, little by little._

_ "Very good, Bra. You're doing well. Keep going," Daddy encouraged._

_ I don't know how Daddy knew that I was shrinking the bubble at all. It was in _my_ imagination. How could he see it to know how I was doing? But I kept working at it. The longer I pushed at the bubble, the easier it became to make it smaller. I could feel the space between my arms growing smaller. Soon, I was able to touch my fingers together at the other side of the bubble. By then, it became much easier to shrink it. It was no longer almost as big as myself. Half my size. Then quarter my size. Then the size of my favorite stuffed bear. I squished the bubble down even further still. Until finally, it was so small that I could fit it into my hands. It was no bigger than the size of the first bubble I had caught._

_ "Okay, stop," Daddy said. "Now, what do you notice? How do you feel?"_

_ I stopped shrinking the bubble. I thought about how I felt. And it suddenly hit me all at once. _

_ "I'm sleepy," I realized. I tried not to yawn._

_ "That is the illusion of exhaustion. Your body is not accustomed to being without its ki. With practice, you won't be affected so strongly when you suppress your energy."_

_ I opened my eyes with surprise. "I made my ki small?"_

_ Daddy grinned. He looked proud and happy. "Yes."_

_ "Can you feel me, Daddy?"_

_ "Just barely, and only because I'm sitting right in front of you. Now, all you need to do is remember how you suppressed your energy and practice. Before long, you will be able to do it without thought."_

_ "An' I'll win at hide an' see'?" I asked._

_ "You will be more successful, yes," Daddy answered. "Whenever you find that you need to avoid an adversary, remember to suppress your ki first, then take evasive action, and finally, blend into your environment."_

_ I gave Daddy a big smile. "Thank you, Daddy!"_

_ At that time, I thought Daddy was helping me win at a child's game. It was only after many years later that I realized that he had been teaching me a lesson in survival._

_~from The Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Unknown  
Location: Unknown

The first thing Bra was aware of was the varying levels of pain throughout her body. The side of her face throbbed mildly. Her arms, while feeling as weak as limp noodles, suffered a consistent and dull ache. Her legs tingled from loss of blood circulation and they felt as if hundreds of tiny pins pricked deep into her muscles. Her back groaned from the discomfort of whatever she was laying on. All of these aches and pains were categorized subconsciously. Because it was the excruciating pain in her left side that won her attention.

Bra lifted her right hand to grasp at the source of her strongest agony. The simple act was slow due to the lack of strength in her limbs. But when her hand came to rest on her side, she felt an abnormality. Instantly, anxiety and adrenaline raced through her. Her eyes popped open and she looked down as best as she could to visually assess the damage. She lifted her hand slightly away from the wound to find her palm coated in red. Blood. And a lot of it.

The blunette looked at her side. Piercing her red baby-doll t-shirt was a piece of scrap metal; about six inches were visible. And that scrap of metal had penetrated her side. Squeamish by the sight of her injury, she quickly looked away. Her panic began to escalate. The thought of the injury, the tear in her flesh, the exposure of her inner layers of skin and muscle, the possible depth the object had impaled her, and all the blood oozing from the wound. All of these thoughts struck fear in her all at once.

_Calm down. If I panic, then I won't be able to do anything rational about it,_ Bra told herself. She took a deep, relaxing breath. She forced down her anxiety. She mentally separated herself from the wound, looking at it as if it were a problem to be solved and not like it was a life threatening injury. The teenager looked at the wound once more. Yes, she was bleeding a lot, but she wasn't hemorrhaging blood. She studied the entry point and examined the piece of metal protruding from her side.

_Okay, I have two options. I can either remove it and risk causing the blood to flow more freely. Or I can leave it in to staunch the blood flow, but risk injuring myself further._ While she contemplated her choices, she gingerly wiggled the metal piece back and forth, doing so only fractions of a centimeter. She gauged how deep it went based on how deeply she felt discomfort. She winced as a sharp pain lanced through the location of the wound. But reassuringly, the pain didn't run too deep. _Okay. The wound is shallow. I think I can remove it._

Very, very carefully, the demi-saiyan pulled the metal out of the wound. She gritted her teeth as the pain intensified with every millimeter that emerged from her flesh. After several agonizing minutes, the object was free. She covered the inch-wide wound with her left hand while she further examined the freed piece of metal. Now that it was out of her, it didn't look so bad. About an inch and a half had imbedded itself into her side. Too shallow to have struck any internal organs. But deep enough to have lacerated her muscle tissue. Satisfied, she tossed the shrapnel aside. She again peeked at the wound in her side. It was still bleeding, slowly and steadily. She was grateful for the enhanced healing abilities of her saiyan heritage.

Covering the wound with her hand once more, Bra turned her focus to her surroundings. She was laying on a pile of scrap metal, explaining the uncomfortable place she had found herself and how she had likely come to impale herself. Slowly, she sat up, minding the aches in her back and the soreness in her side. She noted that without the metal impaling her, the wound was less painful. Yet, it was still a hindrance.

Once the teenager was sitting upright, she looked around further beyond the trash heap she had settled on. She had kind of expected that the debris she was laying in was the remains of Capsule Corporation. But as she looked around, she realized that her surroundings were too unfamiliar to have been the compound. _The dome, the gardens, the swimming pool, the courtyard... Where were they?_ she wondered. There was absolutely no evidence that any of these things had once stood around her. In their places were piles of trash, debris, and shrapnel as far as she could see.

_So... if I'm not at Capsule Corporation, then where _am _I? Where did those aliens take me?_ The reminder of the aggressors caused alarm to rise in her. _Wait a minute. Where did they go?_ She hadn't noticed their presence – or lack thereof – until that very moment. They couldn't have been so careless to have let her slip away from them, however she had done so. They wouldn't have been so merciful to have ceased their attack after she had sustained an injury. So where were they?

Bra wasn't going to take any chances should they be in the vicinity. Although she had destroyed the scouter worn by the Boss – she remembered doing that – the Bitch and the Brute still had theirs. They could easily find her by her ki if she wasn't careful. Immediately, she pushed it down as far as she could afford. As her ki diminished, her wound became more painful and she began to bleed a little more heavily. But she conceded that she would have to bear with it.

The blunette carefully rose to her feet. Still clutching the wound on her left side, she slowly climbed down from the pile of debris. She could have easily levitated down to the ground, but that would have required her to increase her ki... and expose herself to whoever may be watching. Her footing slipped a few times, but she didn't stumble. Eventually, she made it to the bottom of the heap, placing her feet on solid ground.

Again, Bra looked around. Her view from the bottom of the debris pile was far worse than it had been near the top. Surrounded by mountains of trash, she had no sense of direction. _Which way is out?_ she wondered. Which direction should she go? She couldn't immediately decide. But she soon realized that _any_ direction would eventually lead her out of the junk yard. The only difference between one direction and another was how long it would take her to find her way out. So she picked a random direction and began to walk.

Bra decided to check the GPS on the smart-watch her Pappy had given her to keep track of her route. But she found that the GPS function was not working. Instead, she took note of where the sun was in the sky. It was low to the horizon, so she had only an hour or so before she'd lose the only system of navigation she had at the moment. She kept the sun directly to her right side as much as possible. Orientating herself to the sun like so, she knew that she was walking relatively towards the south.

The sun had almost set by the time the demi-saiyan had found the end of the junk yard. When she stumbled out of the wasteland, she almost hadn't realized she had come to its borders. There were no fences to mark the end of the property. The only reason she had realized that she had left the garbage dump was when she noticed that she was walking on a road.

The road really wasn't much of a road. It was very narrow and wasn't paved at all. The earthen street was trod on so often that the dirt was so tightly compacted that no plant life could grow. Trash and debris littered the edges of the street, which was why she hadn't initially realized that she had emerged from the junk yard. Among the discarded pieces of garbage, she could see that shanties sporadically dotted the avenue. If it weren't for the fact that the scraps of sheet metal and plywood had been carefully assembled, she would have thought that they were just more piles of useless and discarded material.

Bra continued to walk down the street. As she traveled further, she noticed that the shanties grew in greater number and frequency. Despite the evidence of people living here, she had yet to see anyone around. But that was about to change.

The teenager rounded a sharp bend in the road. And saw three strange looking creatures. She was startled by their presence, but moreso by their appearance. _They're so... creepy!_ she observed squeamishly. They were very short, about half her size. They were insect-like. Light green exoskeletons. Four limbs, however. Not six. They had large, black, multifaceted eyes. Antennae. Paper-thin wings hung from their upper backs. Oddly shaped mouths. They walked by her without giving her a single glance.

As Bra watched them round the bend from where she had just come, she immediately knew that she was far from home. _Very_ far from home. Whatever those creatures were, they sure as hell didn't exist on Earth. _Where did that Boss-man send me?_ she wondered._ How had he sent me here? And how am I going to get home?_ With all these questions swirling in her mind and with no answers to comfort her, she continued walking down the avenue as if in search for a way to solve her predicament.

As the blunette continued onward, her surroundings slowly began to change. Litter still decorated the street, but it wasn't as thick as it had been outside of the garbage dump. The buildings on either side of the road were no longer quite as shabby. They were sturdier and built from better materials. They were constructed much closer together and much taller than they had been several miles back, making her feel almost claustrophobic. From these larger buildings, she saw more of those strange, insect-like aliens coming and going. Like the first three she had encountered, they largely ignored her. It was almost as if they were too afraid to confront her. She theorized that she must have been walking down a residential street in a very poor neighborhood.

It was not long before Bra saw an intersection up ahead. The lights illuminating the street up ahead were like a beacon in the fading natural light. Although evening was setting in, the foot traffic was thick up ahead. She saw that not everyone out on the other street were one of these bug-creatures. She couldn't make out details from this distance, but she could see enough to know that the non-insect aliens appeared humanoid. The little bug aliens outnumbered the other races by four to one. Yet, they appeared to be submissive to their larger humanoid counterparts. No wonder those she had passed by thus far had ignored her – this behavior was normal to them.

When the demi-saiyan reached the intersection, she immediately noticed how much wider the perpendicular street was compared to the narrow one she had emerged from. When she looked back down the road she had walked down, she observed that, by comparison, it looked like a very long and narrow alley. And rather dark. It suddenly felt very creepy.

Bra turned her attention back towards the main thoroughfare. The buildings here were much nicer than the slums behind her. Shops and open markets. Inns and hotels. Bars and restaurants. Street lamps lined the street and lit up the local businesses. The insect aliens scurried about, performing their duties and tasks. Like they were servants. Unlike the bug-creatures, the humanoid aliens appeared to be at ease, taking their time as they traveled to their destinations. The teenager realized that if she were to maintain her low profile, she'd have to blend in with the humanoid creatures.

But therein lay a problem. There were several species of humanoid aliens. None of them actually looked human. They had different shades of skin; hues of blue and red and green and so on. Their hair colors and styles were just as exotic. Some were completely covered in fur and some were completely hairless. There were humanoids that had all the normal facial features. But some had extra characteristics such as a second set of eyes or a pair of horns protruding from their brows. Others lacked certain features such as noses or ears. The most bizarre aliens had extra appendages, extra arms or legs. Some had tails; scaled or fur-covered, depending on the species.

_How do I blend in if I don't look like any of them?_ she fretted._ Or does it matter as long as I behave as if I belong here? Are there so many different races here that no one will notice that I'm the only half-human/half-saiyan person?_ From her corner, she watched the various humanoid aliens. When she saw a group that were clearly female – not all of them were easily identifiable by gender – she observed their behaviors and their styles of dress. If she was going to blend in, it only made sense that she emulate the typical behaviors of the female residents.

The female aliens walked down the street in groups of twos or threes, always with confidence in their steps. Occasionally, they'd stop and talk with another humanoid alien. Sometimes they would join up with these other aliens, laughing and socializing like old friends. But always, they ignored the insect-like creatures.

The females' clothes were rather plain, compared to the stylish fads that the demi-saiyan was accustomed to on Earth. The fabrics that they wore weren't very flashy or expensive. The colors were bland and faded. Their shirts, pants, dresses, etc. didn't fit very well either, as if they had to make do with what they could obtain. Some articles of clothing hung off of thin frames. Others were so tight, it was hard to imagine the wearers being able to squeeze into them.

Bra looked at her own clothing. Her red tee-shirt, made of soft cotton, hugged her torso comfortably. She wore faded blue denim short shorts over black, skin-tight leggings. Her suede brown boots and her pink backpack – which had miraculously stayed on her during all of her ordeals thus far – finished off her ensemble. It was a comfortable and fashionable outfit that had been fairly inexpensive to purchase. But it made her look extraordinarily rich compared to the native women. She chuckled at herself. _How silly of me. Of course, I _am_ extraordinarily rich. But I can't look that way if I don't want to draw attention to myself._

The blunette slipped her backpack off, wincing as the motion irritated the wound in her left side. She opened the main compartment and dug out the hoodie she had stored away. It was an old and faded garment, a plain gray color with the Capsule Corporation logo on the upper left breast. Carefully, she put it on, trying not to further aggravate her injury. Once it was on, she left the hood pulled up over her head to disguise her features. Then she slipped her backpack back on. It wasn't a perfect disguise by any means, but at the very least, it helped.

Bra stepped out from the alley and joined the crowd. Once she was there, she wasn't sure which direction to go. A trio of humanoid women passed by her. She decided she would follow them for a while, see where they went and how they passed their time. Maybe they would lead her to someplace useful. She stayed behind them by a few paces. Far enough that they wouldn't know that she was trailing them but close enough that others might think that she was part of their group. In the sporadic artificial light, no one would likely be the wiser.

They walked for several blocks, passing by street vendors selling bizarre produce and unusual gadgets. The women ignored the solicitors. At the opposite end of the market, the women came to a sudden stop to talk with a pair of men. Bra quickly stopped so that she wasn't discovered and pretended to examine some merchandise on display at the nearest booth. The women spoke cheerfully with the men, but Bra couldn't make out what they were saying. The foreign words were a garbled combination of hard consonant sounds.

The teenager was so caught up paying attention to the trio of women and pretending to be occupied with the merchandise in front of her that she was taken by surprise as a hand clamped down on her right elbow. She quickly spun around. A somewhat humanoid male with thick black fur covering him from head to toe towered over her. Only his face and his hands were hairless. His yellow eyes bore into her cerulean ones.

"Unk jo utchokugk?" he asked.

Bra shook her head. "I'm sorry. I don't understand." She tried to pull out of his grasp, but his massive three-fingered hand tightened around her elbow.

"Kutch ush, gshik kish. K gush jo u ngutch tchitch!" The beast leered at her. His lips split into a lecherous sneer, revealing a mouthful of crooked, yellowing teeth.

"Stop it!" Bra demanded, pulling her arm away from him with greater force. The effort caused her injury to flare with pain. She winced and immediately relinquished her resistance to ease her pain.

The aggressor roughly jerked her towards him. "Jonk kutchish shik tch, jo kik junk!"

Injured and afraid, the blunette did the only thing she could think of at the moment. "Let me go!" Bra screamed. She called forth her ki, empowering herself to fight off the beast. With a ki infused fist, she punched the alien male in his throat. His grasp on her elbow instantly released as he stumbled backwards, clutching his neck. Her assailant was a weakling, she realized. She had likely fractured his windpipe.

As the beast fell to the ground with a heavey thud, choking and gasping for air, Bra noticed that everyone surrounding her had grown still and silent. They stared at her with shocked and petrified expressions. Even the insect-like aliens had stopped what they were doing to look at her. Dread filled the pit of her stomach as she realized that her cover had been blown. _Oh hell. How am I going to slip back into hiding now? _Before she could answer that question, she noticed that the rear of the crowd began to part. A pair of men were shoving their way through the throng of aliens. Heading straight for her. The dread in her stomach deepened.

The two men who stormed towards her were revealed to be soldiers. Perhaps the only police force available. _Their uniforms look a lot like Daddy's training armor_, she noticed. Unlike her father's armor, which covered only the torso and was colored gold and white, theirs were gold and dark blue and had a lot of cumbersome padding that covered the shoulders, arms, and legs. But the basic design was the same. Seeing this familiarity settled the uneasiness in her stomach. _They're wearing armor similar to Daddy's... So they must be good guys, right?_ she reasoned. In addition to the suits of armor, the soldiers wore bulky helmets. Each helmet had a single lens that covered one eye. _Something similar to a scouter?_ she pondered. In addition to their armor, each one had a pistol-like weapon strapped to a hip.

The soldiers were humanoid, but were different species from each other. One was very tall, had skin made of yellow scales, slitted green eyes, no nose, and short snow-white hair. The other was average height, had pink skin, four pupil-less blue eyes, a pair of tusks from his lower jaw, and long jet-black hair. Neither one was entirely pleasing to look at, but the sight of the authority figures actually made Bra feel a little better. For starters, they could protect her against that hairy alien that attacked her. And hopefully, they would be able to tell her where she was and what she might be able to do to get back home.

The soldiers first went to the fallen alien to assess his condition. One of them asked him something in that garbled language of theirs. But the creature was unable to speak with the injury to his throat. So the soldiers addressed the crowd.

"JU G NKIGNGUSHGIGK SHUNK TCHIG?" the lizard-like soldier demanded over the mutterings of the crowd.

Almost instantly, half of a dozen hands or claws pointed directly at Bra. _Uh oh._ Their singling her out was definitely a bad sign. That dread filled her stomach once more. The two soldiers turned towards her, and began closing the distance between her and them.

"Jo unk gish tchikushtch shunk oshukunkinktch og ush gi sh kig gikunk. Jo shik shuk nkigigk unk ki ngishuki guk gi jonk tchik," the pink-skinned soldier said to her.

Of course, the demi-saiyan had no clue what he was saying. But his authoritative tone, their aggressive stances as they walked towards her, and the withdrawal of their weapons from their holsters could only mean that she was in very deep trouble. She didn't know what faux pas she had committed, nor did she know why they were protecting the beast that tried to assault her. Were there no self-defense laws in this place? Was that hairy alien someone of importance? She didn't know. The only thing that was clear to her was that it would be very bad for her if she allowed these soldiers to reach her.

Again, Bra wondered, _How do I get away?_ The least of her worries was the very large crowd with the dozens of sets of eyes on her. Most concerning were the two soldiers closing in on her, weapons pointed at her. If these pistol-like weapons were anything like the guns on Earth, then she didn't have much to worry about. However, she knew nothing of the nature of their weapons nor what they were capable of. And with her ki still suppressed to a level lower than she was accustomed to, she feared that even a human-crafted bullet could harm her at that moment. She couldn't risk their provocation.

There was only one thing the teenager could think to do. _I hope this works,_ she prayed. Just as the lizard-like warrior reached his free hand out to grab hold of her wrist, she closed her eyes and concentrated. She imagined that she was seeing an image of herself; an exact replica of what she looked like, what she was wearing, and how she was standing. And then she moved. Quicker than the blink of an eye, she evacuated her space and fled into the nearest alley. Where she had once been standing, a convincing replica of herself remained.

The lizard's clawed hand clamped down on the wrist of the after-image. But instead of grabbing hold of something solid, his hand passed right through the doppelganger. The false Bra dissipated a moment later, like a cloud of mist dispersing into thin air. The lizard was a mix of bewilderment and anger. His partner was shocked. The bystanders were mystified. From the entrance of the alley, Bra watched as both of the soldiers pressed buttons on the sides of their scouters and began scanning the area.

The blunette pushed her ki down even lower as she withdrew into the shadows of the alley. It was dark and dirty and smelly. With the onset of night, the alley was completely dark and served to conceal her very well. So dark, she was essentially blind. Against her instincts, she held her left hand out to her side, finding the grimy alley wall, and using it to guide her direction. She felt fuzz and slime beneath her fingertips, but she gritted her teeth and bared with it. Although she had successfully escaped from those soldiers, her mind was not yet at ease. She might be well hidden here, but anyone else could be hiding here too. And she wouldn't know it unless she was confronted.

Worse yet, the pain of her injury swelled once again. With her ki reduced to the lowest levels she could manage, and with the effort she had used to flee from the soldiers, the wound had taken a turn for the worse. Bra slipped her free hand beneath her clothing and rested it over the location of the injury. She noticed that her skin felt sticky and damp. Concerned, she brought her hand to her face and, since she couldn't _see_ her hand in front of her face, she scented it. The metallic tang of blood assailed her olfactory sense. Just as she had feared, the wound was bleeding heavier than it had been before. She knew that she needed to get it treated soon.

With that thought in mind, Bra continued onward in search of somewhere safe where she could tend to her injuries.


	3. Lesson Three

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Three  
__Tend Your Wounds_

_ During the earliest years of my childhood, I had relied on the fact that someone would always be around to take care of me. Not only did I have my parents to raise me, I also had a brother who was twelve years my senior to watch over me, and a pair of loving grandparents to dote on me. But there came a day when I had to learn to take care of myself. That day came when I was only six years old._

_ It seemed as if the planets had aligned on that day. Grammy and Pappy were away on a cruise vacation. Momma had gone to East City for a last minute business trip. Trunks was away at graduate school. That left only myself and Daddy at home. Of course, this meant that I was practically left to my own devices... unless I wanted to join Daddy in the Gravity Simulation Room. Which is not what a six-year-old girl looked forward to doing. _

_ Don't get me wrong; Daddy didn't completely ignore me during this weekend. He _did_ come out of the GSR periodically – to make sure that I was fed and clothed and staying out of trouble. But for the most part, I had to feed and entertain myself. And that was fine by me. I had become quite self-reliant at a young age. I watched a few cartoons in the family theater room, played dress up with my dolls using Momma's fashion magazines for inspiration, and chatted it up on the phone with Pan or Marron. I was completely content._

_ But being home almost completely alone stirs a desire to fill a more important role in the household, even if it's only temporary. Essentially, my six-year-old self wanted to be 'the lady of the house,' if only for a day. So that was when I decided I would attempt to make lunch for Daddy. And because I wanted to do it all by myself, I didn't utilize the servo-bots to help me. I wanted to do it all by myself. Grammy always said that the yummiest dishes were the ones made from scratch._

_ The problem was that I knew Daddy ate a lot and at the time, I really didn't know how to cook anything. So I decided I would keep it simple and make Daddy and myself some sandwiches. Lots of sandwiches. I made ham sandwiches. Turkey sandwiches. Cheese sandwiches. And peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. _

_ When I was putting away the peanut butter, I saw that we had cans of tuna fish, so I decided to add that to the menu as well, despite the difficulty I usually had with the can opener. At first, I was doing well; I got two cans open with relative ease. But the can opener didn't open the third one quite right. I had to pry the lid out from the can. As I wedged my fingers into the narrow gap and tried to pull the lid out, I felt a sharp pain shoot through my fingertips. Reacting, I dropped the can and clutched my injured digits._

_ When I was brave enough, I opened my hand to inspect the damage. Blood seeped out from two fingers on my right hand. A lot of blood. I panicked. I clenched my left hand back over the wounds. Tears welled in my eyes, from the pain and from panic. I ran out of the kitchen and towards the GSR. I blinked away the tears as best as I could since neither of my hands were free to do so._

_ "Daddy!" I wailed when I reached the door to the GSR. Through the kinship bond I shared with my father, I bombarded him with my fear and despair._

_ The door flew open less than a second later; Daddy, drenched with sweat and with panic in his eyes, filled the doorway. "What's wrong? What happened?" he asked as he knelt down to look at me. I could feel his heightened concern through the bond._

_ I held up my hands. "I cut myself," I sobbed._

_ He gently opened my fingers to look at the damage. His panic and dread immediately vanished as he inspected my wounds. And then he grinned. A 'Vegeta grin,' that is – a small tug at the corners of his mouth. I felt him try to comfort me through our link, and I admit that it helped. But seeing my blood drip on the hardwood floor countered his efforts._

_ "Calm down, girl. You'll be alright." _

_ I hiccuped as I tried to stifle my tears. "O-okay."_

_ "Come. Let's get you fixed up."_

_ I clamped my hand over my fingers once again as I followed Daddy through the corridors all the way to the Med Lab. On a Saturday afternoon, the staff was almost non-existent. The few people that were on duty gave us curious glances, but did nothing to question us or to interfere. We entered a small supply room. I sat down in the only chair in the room while Daddy rummaged through some supplies. My tears had begun to ebb by this point, but my fingers still throbbed. I tried to take my mind off of it by watching Daddy, even though I couldn't see what he was doing with his back turned to me._

_ Finally, Daddy turned around to face me. "I'm going to teach you how to mend this," he said. "Do you know the first thing you need to do when you're injured?"_

_ I sniffled. "Momma always washes it first."_

_ "That's correct. Come here." _

_ Daddy turned on the faucet for me since both my hands were covered in blood. I hopped off of the stool and went over to the sink. The water was luke warm. I didn't want to look upon my wounds, but knew I was going to have to. I unfolded my fingers and watched warily as the water washed away the red stains. The wounds stung a little from the liquid running over them. Blood continued to seep from the injuries, immediately diluted as it mixed with the tap water. Dread filled me as I wondered how long it would be before I stopped bleeding._

_ Daddy looked over my shoulder as I rinsed my fingers. He said, "Don't fear your injuries. The worst has already passed. Your condition can only improve from this point forward. Tackle this like you would tackle one of your school assignments."_

_ I tried to look at my injuries objectively, like it was a math problem that needed to be solved. To put myself outside of the problem and work my way to a solution, step by step. Despite this method, I was still troubled. I couldn't quite remove myself emotionally from my predicament. What six-year-old could?_

_ Daddy continued. "You are lucky to have saiyan genetics. If you were human, those wounds would require stitching."_

_ I felt a little better knowing this. But only a little. His words meant that my cuts were rather deep. But at the same time, I was reassured that they weren't _too_ deep for a saiyan to handle. In the scope of injuries that a saiyan could sustain, these were mere scratches. Despite this, Daddy's lesson continued._

_ "Now that you've cleansed the wound, you will want to disinfect it."_

_ I was a little confused by this. "Why do I need to disinfect it? I thought saiyans don't get sick."_

_ "They don't," Daddy responded, "...usually. Though your ki will most likely destroy any infection, there remains a chance – albeit small – that microbes can adapt to your saiyan immune system."_

_ I nodded as Daddy retrieved the anti-bacterial cream from the assortment of first aid supplies resting on the counter. As he untwisted the cap, I grabbed a terry cloth from next to the sink and patted my hands dry. The cuts continued to bleed, but slower than before. Daddy handed me the tube of ointment. As best as I could, given that my fingers still bled, I applied the medicine. Or, I tried to._

_ "I'm bleeding too much. The cream won't go on the cuts."_

_ Daddy suggested, "Raise your ki a little and the bleeding should diminish some."_

_ I did as he said. I wiped my fingers again with the terry cloth – the anti-bacterial ointment wasn't applying well anyhow – and raised my ki a bit. When I removed the towel from the wounds, I discovered that there was only a trace amount of blood._

_ "It worked," I breathed._

_ Daddy nodded once. "Of course it did. So long as you have sufficient ki, you will be able to accelerate your rate of healing. Without access to your ki, your injuries will heal slower, but not as slow as a mere human."_

_ Wordlessly, I reapplied the cream. The anti-bacterial ointment stung as it came in contact with the exposed inner layers of my skin._

_ "Good," Daddy said as he watched my progress. He handed me a few adhesive bandages. "You don't likely need to cover those wounds, but I want you to do so anyway. You are not practiced at using your ki to heal yourself. So I want you to keep those covered until they have healed."_

_ "Okay, Daddy," I answered as I worked one bandage around my index finger. _

_ "When you are more experienced, you won't need to resort to such rudimentary methods. But should you ever find yourself unable to use your ki, you will have to rely on your ability to mend your wounds in primitive ways." _

_ I finished wrapping my middle finger. "All done," I declared as I showed the finished task to Daddy. My fingers were still a little tender, but overall I felt a lot better now that the cuts had been taken care of._

_ Daddy inspected my work. "Very good," he praised. "Now. What were you doing that caused you to injure yourself in such a manner?"_

_ "I was making you lunch."_

_ "Really," his response came out more like a statement than a question of doubt. "Then I suppose this lunch is extra special given all the trouble you've put yourself through to make it."_

_ I smiled as Daddy led me out of the Med Lab and back into the Family Wing..._

_ At the time, I didn't realize that Daddy was really teaching me anything at all. I merely thought that he was taking care of me, even though he didn't do much other than offer instruction and supervision. A few years later, I looked back and realized that he was giving me the tools to see myself through any future situation where I might need to perform first aid on myself. Not just the "how-to" but also the state of mind to get me through such a situation._

_~from The Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Unknown  
Location: Unknown

After the run-in with the security forces and nearly being apprehended for an unknown crime that she had allegedly committed, Bra continued to slink down the dank and dark alleyways of the mysterious alien city she had found herself in. The puncture wound in her side was plaguing her more and more with each step she took. Pain laced through her body. Her skin was sticky from the blood that continued to seep from the injury.

The alley twisted and turned the further the blunette went. In the dark of night, she couldn't make out the types of buildings on either side of her. She only knew that they were there. If she wasn't concerned with drawing attention to herself, she would have flared her ki to illuminate her way. Occasionally, she felt something like the frame of a doorway. But not a single one gave way under her efforts to open them, as if they were sealed shut. In truth, she preferred not to enter any of these unlit buildings anyway, since she had no idea what she would find inside. But her need to find somewhere secluded grew more desperate with every step.

Eventually, Bra found herself at the other end of the long alley, emerging onto another main thoroughfare. This one, however, was much less crowded than the one she had left behind. Though it wasn't lit very well, it wasn't nearly as dark as the alleyway. Once again, the buildings were small, unkempt, and made from a hodge podge of scrap materials. Only a few were lit from within, indicating that they were occupied. The rest were completely dark – either they were abandoned or the residents had retired for the night.

The teenager kept to the shadows as best as possible as she walked down the street. She had no desire to draw attention to herself once again. There were a couple of the strange insect-like aliens out on the street. Like the rest, they paid her no mind. Still, she kept away from them, paranoid that any one of them had seen her in the market when she had pushed that furry male alien beast away from her.

Bra rounded a corner and found another residential neighborhood. But this one seemed completely abandoned. The housing here was dilapidated at best, collapsing at worst. She walked half of a block, inspecting each building for any signs of activity. After passing by a dozen of these shack-like dwellings and finding no noticeable evidence that anyone lived in these crumbling buildings, she picked one to try to break into.

The demi-saiyan pushed aside the metal slab that served as a door to the nearest house. She was met with little difficulty, given that there was no lock and that the door was hanging by only one hinge. She had to duck a little to fit through the doorway and once she was inside, she had to maintain her slouched posture so she didn't hit her head on the ceiling. Inside the wood and sheet metal structure, the air was dry and dusty. It was too dark to see. No longer on the street, she was unafraid to use the flashlight function on her smart-watch.

Bra found that the furnishings were very sparse. There was a pallet covered in musty blankets in the far right corner of the room. A fireplace and oven-like structure made of stone filled the far left corner. A few half-charred logs sat cold in the fireplace. Several pots and cooking utensils were scattered on the floor. Many of these appeared to be caked with food remnants that had long ago dried out or molded, leaving an unpleasant, but faint, odor in the air.

Next to the fireplace was a large black basin sitting beneath a vertical pipe that lead upwards through the ceiling. Inside the basin was a liquid that appeared to be water. It was too dark to see exactly what the mystery fluid was, even with the aid of the flashlight. The house had no other distinguishing features aside from the random bits of litter on the floor. Overall, it appeared as if this house had been unoccupied for several months.

The fifteen-year-old girl carefully slipped her backpack off of her shoulders and set it down near the bed. Then she eased herself out of her hoodie. She unstrapped her smart-watch from her wrist and positioned it on the side of the fireplace in such a way that the flashlight cast its beam across the entire room. Lifting the hem of her red baby-doll t-shirt, she did the best she could in the dim light to visually inspect the wound in her side. In the dark, her blood looked like a black stain on her porcelain skin. The flesh around the wound felt hot and swollen.

_I've got to take care of this_, Bra worried. _I hope it hasn't already gotten infected._

The blunette knew that she didn't have any type of first aid material in her backpack, aside from a half-empty bottle of pain reliever. And this shack she had come to occupy looked barren of any supplies as well. She surveyed the room to see what items were available to her in lieu of actual medical items.

Bra mentally listed off what she had. _There's water. I can use that to clean out this wound. But the quality is questionable. I could sterilize the water; I have a place to make fire. But I have nothing to start it with except for my ki. Would anyone notice if I raised my ki – even just a little bit?_

The teenager decided that it wasn't worth the risk. _There's gotta be something here to use to start a fire,_ she reasoned. She fumbled around the dimly lit room, feeling the different objects strewn about. Eventually, she found something useful. _Ah ha!_ She mentally cheered as she discovered a flint-like tool on the floor next to the fireplace.

There was enough old wood sitting in the fireplace and the charred parts would make for a good coal base once a flame was going. Bra added scraps and bits of trash from around the room for kindling, stuffing it under the logs. Very, very carefully, she worked the flint-stone. Sparks offered an incremental amount of light as she dragged the pieces against each other. After several attempts – she had never had to start a fire without the use of her ki before – she got the fire going. A flame sparked to life, consuming the easily combustible materials.

Bra continued to add to the small flames, feeding it until it was strong enough to ignite the thicker logs. Once the fire was large enough to fill the room with a soft, orange glow, she retrieved her smart-watch from the mantle and turned off the flashlight function in order to conserve its battery. Then she moved onto her next task.

The demi-saiyan searched through the small amount of battered kitchenware, looking for one that was suitable for her needs. Eventually, she found herself a small metal bowl that was neither dirty nor too damaged to hold water. She filled the bowl from the water basin and set the bowl on top of a bed of hot coals.

While Bra waited for the water to come to a boil, she searched the room once again for something that she could cover her wound with. Ideally, she would have used her ki to stifle the blood flow and to cauterize the puncture, but again, that wasn't an option unless she wanted to attract attention to herself. The only items available that she could use to make bandages out of were the moldy bedding material on the cot and her own clothing.

At first, the fifteen-year-old was opposed to the idea of destroying the only things she had to wear. _I'm totally not going to ruin my clothes,_ she protested to herself, despite the fact that her t-shirt was already stained with her blood. She daintily lifted one of the blankets off of the bed with her forefinger and thumb, making as little contact with the filthy object as possible. Disturbed from its resting place, the cloth released dust motes and mold spores into the air. Along with them came a dank and musty smell.

Bra wrinkled her nose in disgust and dropped the offensive material. _Ugh. That's so rank. No way I'm putting that on me, even if I wash it._ She sighed, resigned to the fact that she'd have to destroy one of her articles of clothing. _But which one?_ she wondered. As she weighed the pros and cons of each thing she was wearing, she suddenly remembered, _Oh yea, I have my gym clothes in my bag!_ Her intent had been to bring them home for washing that weekend. How fortunate for her that she had decided to do so.

The halfling girl dug through her backpack and retrieved the pink tank top and grey cotton shorts. She saved the tank top for now as a spare to change into. The shorts, she decided to sacrifice. Carefully, she ripped them into long, narrow strips. She wasn't even bothered by the fact that her gym clothes weren't the ideal level of cleanliness; they were far better than the half-rotted bedding that she had almost considered using.

The water was simmering by the time Bra had finished making bandages from her gym shorts. Using the sleeves of her hoodie to protect her hands, she removed the hot bowl of water from the bed of coals. Since she had nothing else to use to clean her wound, she removed her t-shirt and dipped a bloodless section into the water. In such a strange and foreign land, she was a little wary to remain shirtless for any duration. But it was for the better; she'd be able to clean the wound easier this way.

The blunette applied the hot and wet cloth to her injury, eliciting a hiss through her teeth. She did her best to wipe away the blood clinging to her skin. She could only hope that she had already cleared the wound of all debris since the firelight was too dim to see perfectly by, even with her enhanced saiyan sense of sight. Several times, she had to switch to a new section of her shirt when the part she had been using became too soiled to use.

When Bra was satisfied with cleaning the area around the injury, she decided to give the wound itself one last rinse. She laid back on the floor – as gross as it was – and poured a small amount of the cooling water over the opening of the injury. She felt, better than saw, the water trickle over the wound and down along her side towards her back where it then dripped onto the floor. She set the bowl down and sat back up when she was done.

_Now to close it,_ the teenager thought. While using her ruined t-shirt to keep her blood from seeping out of the wound all over again, she found a small scrap of metal and placed it into the fire. She waited and watched the flames. After several minutes, she figured that the scrap metal was hot enough. She grasped the cool end and then mentally braced herself.

_This is the only way to do this,_ Bra coached herself. _You can't use your ki to cauterize the wound. You'll have to do it the hard way._

Quickly, before she lost her bravado, the demi-saiyan pulled the t-shirt away from her side with her left hand and applied the hot end of the metal piece to her wound, only looking away after she was certain that she'd seal the wound in one shot. The sound and smell of searing flesh filled the room. She whimpered quite audibly as fresh pain lanced up her side. At that moment, she could have cared less if any passersby had heard her. Tears sprung from her eyes and streamed down her cheeks as she endured her self-inflicted pain.

Bra braved the torment and kept the hot metal pressed to her skin for only a few seconds, but those few seconds felt like several minutes of agony. When she felt that her skin was successfully sealed shut, she gently pealed the scrap metal away from her seared flesh. As soon as it was separated from her skin, she violently threw the hateful bit of trash away from her, wishing to erase any memory of its existence and the pain it had wrought.

Hesitantly, the halfling opened her eyes and looked down to inspect her work. _Don't be afraid to look. The worst is behind you now,_ she reasoned. Her skin looked angry, welted, and was an ugly white-pink color. It was closed shut and was no longer bleeding. But she didn't care about her success at that moment. She dwelt on the pain burning into her side and the ugly blemish bubbling from her skin. _With my luck, it's probably gonna leave a scar,_ she lamented with a trembling lip. _A big skugly scar._

With tears still rolling down her face, Bra began dressing the wound. The pain continued, unrelentingly. She had no burn ointment to comfort the new injury, so she had to apply a dry patch of cloth directly onto the burned area. The cotton fabric felt itchy and only irritated her sensitive skin more. She almost didn't have it in her to use the long strips to tie around her middle to secure her makeshift bandage into place. Finally, she slipped into her tank top, being careful not to further irritate her injury.

Suffering from the pain, the blunette began to regret her recent decision. _I shouldn't have tried to cauterize it. I should have just kept it bandaged until the bleeding stopped on its own._ She wanted so badly to raise her ki, to accelerate her already impressive healing abilities, but she knew that she could not. Helpless to do anything more to improve her situation and having no immediate goal in front of her, now that she had tended to her injury, she was left with nothing to do but to fall into despair.

_Why is this happening to me?_ Bra cried. _Why did those assholes do this to me? To my family? My friends? What did we ever do to them?_ She wiped the tears from her eyes. For the first time since her predicament began, she had an opportunity to grieve. _Momma. Daddy. Trunks. Grammy and Pappy. I miss you all so much right now._ She couldn't bear the thought that they were all dead. Fresh tears fell down her cheeks. _How could this have happened? It's not right! It's not fair! This should never have happened! I should be home right now with my family. I don't want them to be dead. And I don't want to be here – wherever here is. I just want my family..._

The demi-saiyan curled up on herself, drawing her knees up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around her legs. She quietly and uncontrollably sobbed into her knees. Her heartbreak was terrible and potent. And it was only exacerbated by the absence of the kinship bond with her brother and father, constantly reminding her of their deaths. For the first time in her life, ever, she felt completely alone, isolated, scared, and hopeless.

Bra cried until she ran out of tears to shed. As her sobs ebbed into occasional hiccups, however, she felt no better. She felt completely despondent. And the pain from her injury only made her more miserable. Every sniffle, every hitch in her breath, only inflamed her wound. As her breathing slowly evened out, she took notice of how drowsy she suddenly felt. Her trials and ordeals, her grief and crying jag, had taken a lot out of her.

_I wish I could just fall asleep and not have to wake up,_ the fifteen-year-old lamented. _Maybe this is all just a bad dream. Maybe I _will_ wake up and none of this will have ever happened._ But she knew that that thought was too good to come true.

_So you're just going to give up?_ that combative voice from deep within her finally reared its ugliness again.

_Oh, so you're back,_ Bra sassed herself.

_ I sure am. And about time, too, from the way your wallowing in pity._

_ Unless you're here to help... go away._

_ Oh, I see. So soon you've already forgotten the advice I gave you that got you through the fight with those aliens._

Bra rolled her eyes. _Some help _that_ was. It got me landed here, didn't it?_

_ Yea, it _did_. You gonna cry about it... again?_

_ Shut up. I shouldn't have listened to you._

_ Oh? So you were just gonna let them kill you?_

Bra knew the futility of arguing against that logic, and so, she did not.

The inner voice continued. _So you were sent to some unknown world. So what? You're alive, aren't you?_

Again, Bra refused to respond, refused to acknowledge the valid point.

_That's right. You _are_ alive. You are a survivor. Which means that you can do something about all of this._

_Like what?_ Bra snapped.

The voice took on a mocking tone. _Oh, I don't know... How about save your family and friends?_

_ How am I supposed to do that? They're all dead._

_ Aren't we forgetting something?_

Bra's eyes lit up. "The dragonballs," she whispered.

_Ding-ding-ding! We have a winner!_

_ I can't believe I didn't think about it before! I've been so wrapped up in everything that has happened..._ A ghost of a smile graced Bra's lips.

_ That's right. You're going to find your way home and you're going to wish everyone back to life. Like it never happened._

The grin instantly fell. _But how am I going to get home?_

The voice offered a little reassurance. _You're Bra Briefs. You'll figure it out. But not tonight. You can worry about it in the morning. Right now, you need to get some rest. You're exhausted. You _are_ having a conversation with yourself, after all._

Bra nodded. _You're right,_ she admitted. Her eyelids were puffy from her tears. They felt heavier in their swollen condition, drooping with her drowsiness. She conceded that she needed to get some sleep. She wasn't in the most ideal place; it wasn't safe or secure by any means. But it would have to do. No one had molested her since she had broken into this abode, so she figured it was no worse than anywhere else she could have chosen to bunk for the night.

The blunette placed her backpack along the wall near the fireplace, opposite the water basin. Carefully, she put her hoodie back on. The temperature had begun to drop, despite her small fire, and it would most likely continue to drop throughout the night. Her fire had just about burnt through all its fuel. She added another log to the shrinking flames to keep it going a little while longer. She cleared a space on the floor in front of the fireplace and curled up on her right side, putting the fire to her back. The ground was hard and lumpy, but it would have to do. There was no way she was going to sleep in that health hazard that served as a bed. She used her backpack as a pillow, to try to create some semblance of comfort. Despite her discomfort and the lingering pain in her left side, Bra quickly drifted off to sleep.


	4. Lesson Four

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Four  
__Signs of Deception_

_ One of the hardest lessons I had to learn was how to protect myself against the deception of others. It was one that had a heavy emotional toll, but Daddy was there to guide me through it._

_ One afternoon, when I was thirteen years old, I was getting ready to go on my very first date. I was so excited and nervous. As Momma was helping me style my hair, the doorbell rang, indicating that my date had arrived._

_ A few minutes later, I went downstairs to greet him, and found that Daddy and Trunks had already introduced themselves to Bass. I immediately picked up on the tension in the air, but made no indication of it. After introducing Bass to Momma, I momentarily excused myself from the family room to grab a light jacket. Daddy had followed me._

_ "I hope you and Trunks didn't terrify Bass too terribly," I said wryly._

_ In a flat tone, Daddy answered, "I believe I asked him all of the mandatory questions typical of human courting customs."_

_ I grimaced. "Is that all? You didn't threaten him or intimidate him or anything?"_

_ Daddy ignored my sarcasm. "I'm not fond of the idea of you going out with him. He is too old for you."_

_ I sighed. "Daddy, he's only five years older than me."_

_ He continued without missing a beat. "If this were saiyan culture, I _might_ not have an issue with the difference in your ages. But I have come to understand that in human society, such a discrepancy is not favorable."_

_ "It's just a date, Daddy. It's not like I'm gonna marry him."_

_ There was a pause, and then he said, "I don't trust his intentions with you."_

_ "You're being a skitz. Bass won't try anything. Besides... I really like him. And I think he really likes me, too."_

_ "You're smitten with him and it's blinding you."_

_ "Daddy, I just want a chance to do something that normal girls my age do. Is that so wrong?" I asked in exasperation._

_ Daddy's expression soured, but he relented. "No. It's not. But please pay close attention to him. I don't want him to try to take advantage of you."_

_ "Don't worry. That'll never happen. I'm way stronger than him. I'll be fine."_

_ "Have a good night," he bid me as he left the room._

* * *

_Bass drove me into downtown West City. We parked in the lot of a cozy little eat-in restaurant. It wasn't any of the exclusive establishments that I often went to with my family, but it was far from a cheap diner or, worse, a fast food joint. With a big grin on his face, Bass jumped out of the car first and ran around to my side to open my door for me. I thought it was so romantic._

_ As we approached the front door of the restaurant, Bass suddenly stopped me._

_ "It's such a nice day out. It would be a shame to waste it indoors. Why don't we eat outside instead?"_

_ "Okay," I easily agreed. I admitted that the day really was quite lovely._

_ We entered the restaurant and Bass asked for a seat out on the patio. The waitress was more than happy to comply. The patio was on the side of the restaurant opposite the parking lot. The patio bordered the sidewalk out front; the former was separated from the latter by a short iron fence. Foot traffic on the sidewalk was light. And because the buildings in the area were smaller than most in the city, they allowed the sun to pleasantly shine down upon us. Eating outside was a wonderful idea._

_ Or so I thought._

_ It wasn't long into our date that things began to go south. Bass apparently wasn't much of a conversationalist. I tried to engage him in conversation, but he didn't seem very interested in some of the typical topics; movies, interests, etc. I tried to ask him questions about himself, and received short answers in return. It was as if he was suddenly shy. I suspected that Daddy and Trunks had said something to him that caused him to act so withdrawn._

_ We ate our meal in relative silence. This date wasn't living up to the expectations I had fantasized about. I was feeling disappointed and dejected. I was feeling so miserable that I had actually lost my appetite, and that's saying a lot for someone of my caloric needs. Towards the end of our meal, I managed to draw my attention away from my half-eaten meal to try one last time to engage Bass in conversation._

_ "What's wrong?" I asked him._

_ Bass, who had been staring off beyond the patio fence and into the distance, snapped his attention to me. "Eh? What? No. Nothing's wrong."_

_ "Then... why are you acting so... weird?"_

_ "I'm not," he answered with a little too much insistence. _

_ Bass's focus returned to the street to his left – my right. I followed his gaze, wondering what could possibly be more interesting than paying attention to what was going on – or _not_ going on – here at our table. When I looked back at him again, I couldn't help but to notice that he wasn't exactly staring off into space. His eyes were too focused, constantly darting back and forth as if he were looking for something._

_ I was getting annoyed at his absent company. "I'm getting kind of chilly," I declared. "I think we should go inside." It was a little white lie, but I was tired of whatever distractions the street traffic was offering him and wanted to eliminate the source from our date._

_ His eyes darted to mine again. "We can't do that," he replied hastily. "It would inconvenience the waitress. Let's just stay out here."_

_ I was unhappy with the decision, but remained seated. The waitress came and dropped off the bill. Bass showed no acknowledgment that she had come and gone. His focus remained on the street. Bored and ready for this debacle to be over, I took the initiative and collected the bill._

_ "I'm gonna go pay for this," I announced and rose to my feet._

_ Bass suddenly turned to face me again. He stood up and latched onto my hands – the gesture would have been very romantic if the mood hadn't been so foul – and said, "Babe, why are you in such a rush? Sit with me a little longer, and then we'll go. I promise. Okay?"_

_ Against my better judgment, I sat back down. He pulled his chair next to mine and sat down, getting rather cozy with me. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I was still quite suspicious of him, however, and noted that his eyes went back out to the street._

_ "Why do you keep looking away like that?" I demanded._

_ He glanced at me. "I'm not," he said in an innocent tone._

_ "Yes. You are. What are you looking for?"_

_ "Nothing, Babe. I'm just admiring the view, watching the people as they pass by. Have you ever just sat and people-watched? It's quite fascinating. You learn a lot from a person just by paying close attention to them, even if its only for a few seconds."_

_ Bass's words somehow resonated within me. They reminded me of the words Daddy had said to me before I had left on this date. _"...pay close attention to him..." _So I did. Bass's eyes continued to dart around. He wasn't really admiring the view or observing the passersby. He was... waiting for something or someone. Despite the cool breeze, a light sheen of sweat shone on his forehead. His free hand repeatedly tapped the surface of the table. And he was bouncing his left leg on the ball of his foot. All nervous ticks._

_ "Why are you so wired?" I asked him._

_ "I'm not wired," Bass tried to answer smoothly. He immediately ceased his ticks to prove it. He reached up to move a lock of hair out of my face. "You know that you're the most beautiful girl at school, right? It's just... I can't believe you would want to go out with me when you could date anyone at school. I guess that's why I'm so nervous. I just don't know what makes me more special to you than all the others. That's all."_

_ All of my anger and annoyance instantly evaporated. I was blown away by his open honesty about his insecurities. I was ready to forgive him for his aloofness during the entire evening. But then a strange scent hit my nose. Discretely, I drew the smell in deeper, gauging and scrutinizing it. It was pungent, salty, and laced with a bitter tang. It was offensive; I felt repelled by it. It made me feel... deceived._

_ I tried to pull away from him, gently, so that I didn't accidentally harm him. "What's this all about?" I demanded. "What's going on?"_

_ "Nothing's 'going on,'" he insisted._

_ That was when a flash of light lit up my peripheral. I looked over to my right, and saw someone with a camera leaning over the short iron fence just as he snapped another photograph – of me and Bass. I was instantly alarmed. I turned towards Bass as another flash fired._

_ To my surprise, I saw a large grin spread across his face. His eyes were focused on the photographer as yet another photo was snapped. All traces of his anxiety were gone. Suddenly, Bass was exuding an air of confidence and triumph. I wasn't sure what had just happened. I was totally confused._

_ Bass pulled me closer to him. "Don't be so tense, Babe. It's just a few photographs. Think of it as a souvenir of our wonderful evening together."_

_ I grew frustrated. "This evening hasn't been wonderful at all! What is all this? Did you arrange to have someone photograph us? Is this why you've been so vacant?"_

_ "Calm down. You're blowing this out of proportion. I'm sure you've had plenty of paparazzi take your photograph before. How is this any different? Just go with it. If he's gonna get our picture, we might as well make it a good one, right?"_

_ "I don't want to do this," I protested as several more flashes went off. I stood up to leave._

_ Bass jumped to his feet and grabbed my hands again to stop me. "Oh, come on, Babe. Don't be a downer. Play along. Have fun with it. Hey, why don't we give him something _really_ worth photographing? Let's give him a nice shot of us sharing a kiss! How 'bout it? Just imagine the headline... 'Capsule Corp. Heiress Bra Briefs Sharing a Smooch With Beau, Bass Ringstir, Lead Guitarist of Upcoming Rock Band _Sporadic_' What do you think? Kinda catchy, huh? Now how 'bout that kiss?"_

_ Bass tried to move in close to kiss me. The photographer continued to snap pictures of us. My attention was focused on trying to keep my distance from Bass's face. I leaned away from him, but he was persistent. I was growing aggravated and frustrated. I didn't want to forcefully remove him from my person, but my patience had hit its limit._

_ "I said, 'I don't want to do this!'" I yelled at him._

_ In that moment, I reversed the hold on my wrists so that I was the one grabbing onto him. I spun around fast and threw him over my shoulder, flipping him over as I did so. He went sailing back-first, upside-down, into the brick wall of the restaurant. Fortunately, I hadn't thrown him too hard and the wall stopped his momentum. He slid to the ground, dazed. Unfortunately, the photographer had continued taking pictures during the entire feat of strength. At that moment, I didn't care. I opened my purse, threw down a wad of cash, and hopped over the patio fence._

_ I marched away from the restaurant, still furious. But that fury quickly melted into other emotions; embarrassment, shame, and humiliation. I couldn't believe that I had been so naïve. I was so upset with myself that I had allowed myself to be taken advantage of. When Daddy had warned me of Bass's intentions, I had automatically assumed that Daddy feared that Bass would try something physical with me. With my superhuman strength, I had had no fear of being vulnerable. I now realized that I could be victimized in other ways._

_ A few blocks away from the restaurant, as I turned down a vacant street, I heard a pair of feet gently meet the ground to my right. Without looking, I knew that it was Daddy. Apparently, in my distress, I had failed to suppress the flow of my emotions through the kinship bond with him. Although I didn't really want anyone to see me in that moment, I didn't object to his company._

_ "Oh, Daddy," I lamented as I turned into him. _

_ Tears that had been carefully locked away suddenly sprang to life as I cried into his chest. He was quiet as he held me in a loose, but warm, embrace. I felt him run a hand down the back of my head, soothingly, as he absorbed my emotional suffering._

_ After my tears ran their course, I admitted to him, "You were right, Daddy. Bass didn't care about me. He just wanted to get some photos of himself with me published in order to boost his own popularity. I can't believe I was so stupid."_

_ Daddy growled. "Don't you ever say that about yourself," he scolded. "You are _not_ stupid. Young... yes. Inexperienced... yes. But never stupid. Don't you confuse the two."_

_ I pulled away from him and wiped the remaining tears from my eyes. "You're right. But I still feel..." I didn't know how to explain what I was feeling._

_ "Violated?" Daddy supplied. _

_ I nodded. _

_ "It's not unusual to feel that way. That boy deceived you. He took advantage of your trust and twisted it to suit his own selfish desires."_

_ "Yea, and it was so obvious, too. I just didn't understand the signs until it was too late."_

_ "But now you recognize what to look for the next time some worthless leech tries to deceive you. You will be better prepared to handle such a fool in the future."_

_ Again, I nodded. "I just wish I didn't have to learn it this way."_

_ Daddy tightened the hug reassuringly. "Just be glad that this is the way you had to learn such a lesson. In my youth, I was not so fortunate to understand deception in such a mild form."_

_ We were quiet for several moments as I considered this, but eventually, my mind wandered back to my own encounter. "Daddy, there was a paparazzi there. I think he got pictures of me throwing Bass into a wall. If those pictures get published..."_

_ "Don't fret, girl. That is something we will concern ourselves with later. Now, what can we do to salvage this disastrous evening?"_

_ Although Daddy hadn't taught me directly what to look for when an individual was attempting to deceive me, he impressed upon me the importance of paying attention to even the smallest nuances of a person's behavior. This skill proved to be a vital one many times throughout my life._

_~ from The Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Unknown  
Location: Unknown

When Bra began to stir from her slumber, she found that her muscles felt extremely stiff and that her right side was simultaneously sore and numb from having slept on that side for so long. She stretched to work out the kinks in her muscles. Instantly, she regretted it. The wound in her left side – the one she had cauterized shut the night before – flared to life with searing pain. She hissed through her teeth as she immediately curled in on herself.

At first, the blunette couldn't remember why she would be feeling such extreme pain. But slowly, the events of the previous day came back to her. The fight against the three purple-skinned aliens, her arrival on this strange world, and the encounter with some of the locals. And then she remembered where she was. She had fled into the slums and broken into an uninhabited shack where she had treated the worst of her injuries and then fallen asleep.

Bra opened her eyes. Faint light seeped into the room from outside, leaking through dozens of narrow gaps and cracks in the infrastructure of the dwelling she occupied. She had slept through the entire night. The room looked completely different now that it was no longer cloaked by the dark. It didn't appear as dank or bleak as it had when she could barely see inside it. The sparse furnishings still made it look impoverished, but they didn't look as dilapidated as she had imagined them to be the previous night.

In addition, the fifteen-year-old girl noticed that the night hadn't grown as cold as she feared it would; the temperature inside the room was cool but comfortable. Her back felt the warmth of the fireplace behind her; somehow the fire hadn't died out during the night. When she peaked over her shoulder, she noticed that a nice bed of coals layered the bottom of the fireplace. _How odd..._ she thought. _It should have burned out hours ago._

When the pain in her side lessened, Bra decided to begin the task of checking on her injury. When she did so, she immediately noticed that a linen blanket had been draped over her torso; it was too small to cover her legs. She realized that the blanket was yet another reason why the cold night air hadn't bothered her. But she was confused and intrigued as to how it had gotten there. Had she retrieved it during the night and had no recollection of having done so?

Having no immediate answer, the demi-saiyan slowly sat up. The blanket fell to pool in her lap. Carefully, she pulled the bottom of her hoodie and tank top up far enough to reveal her wound. Holding her clothing up in one hand, she used the other to peel back the makeshift bandage she had placed over it. The flesh was still angry and red, but appeared to have healed a little through the night. Without accessing her ki, however, the healing process was progressing at a snail's pace.

Bra was suddenly alerted to someone else's presence when she heard the sound of the metal slab that served as a door shifted to the side. She whirled to her right hand side, wincing as the motion pulled at the wound in her left side. But the injury was no longer a priority to her as her eyes fell upon the intruder. Subconsciously, she placed her clothes back over the site of her injury.

Standing in the doorway was one of the natives, one of the insect-like creatures that the blue-haired girl had seen scurrying about in the streets the previous day. She stared at the alien. The alien stared back at her. She was frozen in place, uncertain what to do now that she had been discovered. Fight? Flight? Or wait to see what happens? After a moment, the creature slid the door back into place and approached the fireplace, navigating in a wide circle around the girl – or at least in as wide of a circle as the small room allotted. Was the alien just as wary of her as she was of it? Or was it simply giving her enough space as to not feel threatened? She didn't know.

Bra remained tense, ready to bolt at a moment's notice if need be. She kept her eyes locked on the form of the creature as it added another plank of wood to the fire. She studied the creature. She realized that the alien's green skin wasn't the hard, outer shell she had originally assumed it to be. Bra noticed that the creature's outer tissue layer was somewhat fleshy. But it was made of a tough material, something akin to cartilage. It's thin pair of wings looked so delicate. They were so fragile that they didn't appear to be functional for flight.

The insect-like alien placed a large pot over the fire. Where the pot had come from, the teenager didn't know. The bug filled it with water from the basin. Then the creature began to retrieve things from a box on the floor next to the basin. _That box wasn't there last night,_ Bra noted. _The alien must've brought it here._ The girl couldn't identify the things that the creature was putting into the gradually warming water. But soon, the air inside the shanty began to fill with a pleasant odor as the water and its ingredients began to simmer into a broth.

While the food slowly stewed, the bug turned its attention to Bra once again. "Jo unk ishnkotch," it spoke.

Bra shook her head. "I'm sorry. I don't speak your language," she replied, despite knowing that her response was futile.

"Tchu tch gi jonk shoshtch?" the creature spoke again.

The alien gestured to Bra's injured left side with a three-fingered appendage. The girl glanced down at her side for just a moment and then looked back up at the creature. _What is it... Why is it pointing to my injury?_ she wondered. The bug took a step closer to Bra. Bra scooted back and away from the creature, wary of its intentions. The creature halted. Then it began to make exaggerated gestures.

The demi-saiyan studied the alien's movements, trying to decipher what it was apparently trying to communicate to her. The insect-like being gestured to its own left side, poking at it, and then covering it with its hands. Bra wasn't entirely sure what it was trying to pantomime to her. The creature tried another tactic. It retrieved what appeared to be a small roll of cloth. It unrolled the thick, cheap material. The bug held a strip of the cloth over its left side. After a moment, it then gestured the cloth towards Bra, once again pointing at her side. It gave her an expectant stare.

_It... wants to redress my injury,_ Bra realized. Slowly, she lifted her hoodie up over her head. Then she pulled her tank top up far enough for the insect-like creature to see the wound. The bug, seeming to understand that Bra had given it permission to assist her, quickly closed the distance between the two. The unexpectedly fast movement from the creature startled her, but she resolved herself to remain still while the alien did its work.

The blunette cringed, preparing for the pain to flare up again as the injury was molested. But the pain was minimal. The alien was very careful with the wound and worked very gingerly. The old, soiled bandages were removed before Bra even realized they were gone. The bug gently washed away the residual blood from the site. Bra noted that the creature applied a feather-light tough to her skin; she could barely feel the contact with her flesh. Then it began to apply a soothing salve. The ointment took the pain away almost immediately. It tingled just a little bit. But it was also very relaxing. Finally, the alien applied a fresh bandage to the injury.

"I know you can't understand me," Bra said as the creature took a step back, "but thank you very much for helping me. I wish I could tell you how much I appreciate it."

The alien didn't respond. Instead, it went back to the pot of stew and began to stir its contents while adding a few more ingredients. With the alien's demonstration of good will, the fifteen-year-old girl relaxed considerably. She was no longer so concerned about the alien that she felt she had to diligently watch its every movement. So, while the bug continued to prepare its meal, Bra gathered the few of her belongings that had been scattered about the shanty during the previous evening.

The alien occasionally glanced at Bra as she collected her things. With the language barrier between them, she felt a little uncomfortable. The near-silence in the room, interrupted only by Bra's movement within the small space and the bug's attention to the stew, was awkward. Bra felt like an intruder in what appeared to be the creature's home. She wanted to put the discomfort behind her as quickly as possible. She collected her smart-watch from the fireplace and strapped it to her wrist. Bra found her blood-stained t-shirt and the remnants of her gym shorts and stuffed them into her backpack. Her hoodie, she slipped back into since the temperature was still a bit chilly despite the small fire warming the room. With all of her belongings gathered, she turned towards the door.

"Well, thank you again," she said to the alien. "Sorry I imposed, but I'll be leaving now. I won't inconvenience you any longer."

The creature had turned to face Bra as she gave her departure. Although it was impossible for it to have understood the girl's actual words, it seemed to realize her intentions. It began to gesticulate wildly again. This time it placed its hands on its stomach, then pointed at the brewing pot of stew, and finally it held up a chipped ceramic dish. Again, it looked at Bra expectantly.

The halfling sighed. _It wants me to stay and eat, apparently,_ she deduced. She wasn't certain about eating any food that was unfamiliar to her, but the aroma that had filled the shanty smelled quite delicious. Her stomach rumbled just a little bit, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since her lunch period at school the previous day. And that meal – in blending in with the human population – had been quite meager. She realized that she was feeling a little bit faint. _I probably should eat something,_ she relented. So she decided to stay a while longer. After all, she might unintentionally offend her host if she refused.

Bra sat back down on the floor while the bug served a large helping of stew into a bowl. The alien handed the dish over to her. She graciously accepted the meal. Bra looked around expectantly for a spoon, but then realized that there were none around. Typically, she would have balked at having to slurp from the bowl, much like her father and brother were wont to do, but she had been through too much already to care much about proper table manners.

The blue-haired girl lifted the bowl to her lips. But then she hesitated. Something wasn't right. She looked up at the insect-like being to see that it was watching her intently. _Why isn't it eating too?_ she pondered. The creature seemed quite eager as it waited for Bra to try the food. Its fingers twitched anxiously. Bra lowered the dish away from her mouth and watched the bug for its reaction. It urgently gestured, as if it were holding and lifting a bowl of its own, attempting to coerce her to eat. The creature's mannerisms seemed a little too persistent.

Bra lifted the bowl once again. Again she watched the alien, testing its reaction, studying its body language. The creature leaned forward with anticipation as the dish grew closer to her lips. Just as the steam from the stew drifted beneath Bra's nose, she suddenly picked up a few unusual odors. From the creature, she scented something salty, pungent, and tangy. The scent triggered feelings of distaste and violation to stir within her. She felt repulsed. And she knew what these feelings meant. Despite the fact that Bra was dealing with a foreign creature, she knew the scent of deception when she smelled it.

The second odor came from the stew itself. Beneath the heavy vegetable aroma, the teenager detected something bitter. If her nose had been weaker, the broth would have masked the odor of the mysterious, and likely dangerous, ingredient. She drew in a deeper breath, curious to identify the probable toxin that the alien had slipped into the concoction. She regretted doing so immediately. The poison was so potent that merely breathing it in had caused her head to spin and a lethargy to spread through her limbs. She realized, in that moment, that the sensation was very similar to the salve that the creature had put on her wound. _That bug-alien has been trying to drug me from the very start!_

Calmly, despite the startling discovery, Bra lowered the bowl away from her face one final time. Deliberately, she turned the bowl over and dumped its contents onto the floor. _That's right, you sneaky bastard. I'm on to you._ The creature reacted immediately and hastily. It grabbed the bowl from Bra's hands, filled it with another large helping of stew, and thrust it back into her hands. This time, Bra dropped the bowl on the floor and got up to leave. She swayed on her feet a little bit – an effect of the small dose of toxin she had absorbed into her system – but quickly regained her balance.

The demi-saiyan grabbed her bag and turned towards the door slowly so that she didn't exacerbate the wave of dizziness that was passing over her. The bug quickly moved to block her exit. Bra stopped short of running into the alien. The creature's audacity quickly ignited her anger. She growled at it, but managed to keep her ki subdued so that she didn't draw attention from the city's scouter-equipped police force.

Wisely, the alien stepped out of Bra's way. She slung her bag onto her back and pushed the metal door panel to the side. The air outside was noticeably chillier than it was inside the shanty. The street was brightly lit by the sun, still low in the sky. Already there were a few of the insectoid aliens out and about. They didn't concern her, however. It was the two armor-wearing officers at the end of the block to her right that _did _worry her. She pulled her hood up over her head and turned in the opposite direction. Trying not to draw attention to herself, she walked down the street calmly. The drug she had unknowingly absorbed continued to have an effect on her; she could feel that she was unable to walk without a slight sway to her steps. But she pushed onward.

When the blunette reached the nearest intersection, she found that another pair of patrolmen were standing just around the corner. She ducked back, out of their view. Risking a peek at them, she noticed that they were interrogating a small group of the insect creatures. One of the officers held a spherical disk between his hands. From the smooth, white, featureless object, a three-dimensional image was projected in the space above it. Bra studied the projection. She had to squint to see it clearly, noting that the chemical in her system was obscuring her ability to see objects at a distance. When her sight cleared long enough for her to decipher the image, she realized that it was a holographic photo of her!

Bra ducked back around the corner again. _How did they get a photo of me?_ she fretted. And then she realized, _Duh. Their scouters. Of course they would have recording devices in them. The soldiers from last night had had plenty of time to capture my image._ She peered at the patrolmen again. _Why are they being so persistent? And how do I get past them?_

Another wave of dizziness hit the fifteen-year-old. She shook her head to rid herself of the vertigo, using the building against her back for support. When she felt stable again, she stepped away from the shack and crossed the narrow street to the corner opposite the soldiers. Once there, she continued along the street perpendicular to the one she had emerged from. She kept the soldiers to her back. Her goal was the next intersection, where she would turn the corner again, exiting the line of sight of the patrolmen and, hopefully, she wouldn't run into any more of them.

Bra was almost to the next block when a loud shout caught her attention.

"JO KINK! GKUNG NKIK KINK!

The half-saiyan reacted to the noise and turned to face the source of the disturbance. The one who had called out was one of the soldiers. And he was looking directly at her.

"Dammit," Bra muttered.

The blue-haired girl turned away from the warriors as if she hadn't heard them. They continued to shout at her. She crossed the street again and took a right hand turn onto the next road. As soon as she was out of their line of sight, she bolted. The soldiers pursued her. She zig-zagged down the next several sets of streets, trying to elude them. Bra headed deeper into the city, towards taller and better constructed buildings where she could blend in with the non-insect locals. She knew she had to get out of the bug-alien slums; she stood out too much against their short stature and distinct features.

After Bra had made too many twists and turns for her pursuers to keep her in their sights, she ducked into an alley. This one was much nicer than the one she had traveled through the night before; it wasn't nearly as filled with trash nor was the lingering smell quite as rotten. Above her, she noticed lengths of rope spanned the gap between the windows of the two buildings on either side of her. From these lines, articles of clothing had been hung to dry. An idea sprung to her head. _I need to change my appearance. They're looking for a blue-eyed girl in a gray hoodie._

The teen walked towards the lowest line. Several drab tunics hung just barely within reach. As she gazed at the apparel, a guilty feeling overcame her. _I never had to steal anything before._ The idea of taking something that was not hers made her skin crawl. The citizens here were so very poor, even those who weren't living in the slums had meager possessions. She didn't feel right taking something from someone who had so little. Bra didn't want to do it, but knew that she didn't have much of a choice. She reached up to grab a large frock, lifting herself up onto the tips of her toes to do so. She felt a small rush of blood through her head as her body fought the toxin in her system. She stumbled slightly, but regained her footing. The bottom of the frock just barely touched her fingertips. But she was able to get enough of a hold on it to pull it free from its line.

Bra slipped her backpack off of her shoulders and then pulled out of her hoodie, stuffing the latter into the former. As she packed away the sweatshirt, she retrieved a pair of sunglasses from her bag. On went the pack again, then the unattractive frock she had acquired, and finally, the sunglasses to hide her eyes. She emerged from the alley and discovered that her pursuers had reappeared. But they took no notice of her as she slipped inconspicuously into the crowd of morning commuters.

The halfling moved along with other travelers with surprising ease. Several times, she walked right past soldiers, some who were brandishing holographs of her image from the night before, and they didn't bother a second glance at her. Sure, she got a few odd looks from the locals because of her unusual appearance; the eyewear, the frumpy frock, and the bizarre lump on her back from her concealed backpack made her appear strange. But most of the residents were just as odd-looking – to her anyway – and therefore, she felt that she blended in quite well.

Several blocks later, Bra took note that the poison in her body was still troubling her. Had she been able to access her ki, she could have burned the toxin out of her system. Because she couldn't do that without revealing herself, she knew that she needed to get some food in her. The nutrients would boost her metabolism and help her body process the chemicals running rampant through her body.

The blue-haired girl used her nose to locate the nearest eatery. Soon, she detected an aroma that was similar to grilled meats. Her stomach rumbled eagerly. Bra followed the scent to a building that looked like a small diner. She hesitated outside the door. _Wait a minute. How am I supposed to order something to eat if I can't speak the local language?_ she realized. _And if, on the small chance, I'm successful, how will I pay for it?_

As Bra contemplated this predicament, she noticed out of the corner of her left eye that a large group of soldiers had gathered together and they were heading in her direction. One or two soldiers, she had proven to be able to dupe. But a dozen? She didn't want to take the risk. So she gathered her courage and stepped into the seedy little restaurant.

When she got inside, the teenager made a quick scan of the establishment. Overall, it resembled a dimly lit bar-and-grill. A bar ran across almost the entire length of the left wall; a scantily-clad woman with orange skin was working behind it. Several alien patrons were seated there, downing large mugs of local alcoholic beverages. _Booze? At this hour? Apparently there aren't any liquor laws on this planet,_ Bra observed.

There were about a dozen tables along the right hand and far back walls. Only three of these booths were occupied. The two near the center had two patrons each. These customers were sating their appetites on large platters of charred meat. The table furthest away from Bra had a single man seated at it. Bra's attention lingered on him. He appeared to be casually sipping from a mug. His features were obscured by the poor lighting at the far end of the eatery, but she could see enough of him to observe the armor he adorned. _Great. Another soldier,_ she cursed.

The barmaid glanced at Bra briefly as she lingered in the doorway, but then turned her attention back towards her customers. A few of the other patrons cast their eyes towards her. Only then did she realize that her awkward hesitation at the door was drawing unnecessary attention towards herself. She slipped into the nearest booth, hoping to alleviate their curiosity.

The demi-saiyan took off her sunglasses and set them down on the tabletop as she waited for one of the diner's staff to approach her. The booth she sat in was horribly uncomfortable, and this discomfort was exacerbated by the bag still on her back. As she considered removing the cumbersome accessory, a pair of the patrons from the bar walked towards her. Initially, she suspected that they were heading for the exit. But when they stopped at her table, she grew alarmed.

"Shik shuk tchu shi jotch jink?" asked the tall, red-haired, humanoid man with four eyes.

"U ngiki kik kich. Onk jo kushki?" spoke the lizard-like man who had a thick line of white feathers running down its spine.

"Shotch jo kig gutch kutchngoshi?" the first said in what sounded to be a taunting tone.

"Jig. Ushkin shitch shokn jink gnkush uk," the red-haired man said with a grin.

Bra glowered at them. But she didn't respond. How could she when she couldn't understand them and vice versa?

The lizard-man reached out a clawed hand towards the girl to take a lock of her hair between his scaly fingers. "U ngink kig tchig shotch shing u shig gnkig."

Suddenly, the soldier from the far end of the bar was right there. He had moved so quickly that the two men harassing Bra hadn't seen him move until he was standing in front of them. But she had seen his every move. He had grabbed the lizard-man's wrist and was twisting it painfully away from Bra. The lizard-man cried out in pain as the bones in his forearm broke with an audible snap. The red-haired man gaped speechlessly while his associate was assaulted.

The soldier growled threateningly to them in their guttural language. "Jo shik kitch jink utch ushng gishunk tch gnkig tchunk utch jonk gushnk."

The dark-haired soldier released the lizard-man's injured appendage. As soon as he was freed, he hastily headed towards the establishment's exit, cradling his arm as he did so. His comrade quickly followed. The remaining patrons, who had turned to watch the disturbance, continued to warily stare at them. It took one glare from the warrior to convince them to return to their own business. Once all their eyes were averted, the tall soldier took a seat across the table from Bra.

"Tchig ig u tchushinkog shugunkotch shunk u ngink-ngiktch. Shotch gnkichk jo jink?" he asked in a calm tone.

Bra was wary of him. And annoyed. She scowled at him. _How presumptuous of him to think that saving me means he's automatically invited to sit with me!_ Sure, he had just gotten rid of those creepy aliens for her. And he was the most human-looking person that she had laid eyes on since arriving on this world. The only odd things about him were his unusual height and extremely long hair. _How could he sit down without sitting on it?_ Despite his human-like appearance, she still didn't trust him. Less than an hour ago, she had put her trust into someone that had displayed care and concern for her, only to be betrayed. She wasn't going to place her safety into the hands of another stranger so soon.

Discretely, the blunette drew in a deep breath of air, testing the scents that were carried upon it. She smelled the potent aroma of alcohol and food, the fading odors of the two men who had left, and a spicy scent that drifted towards her from the table's other occupant. What she didn't smell, was the repugnant stink of deception. She was slightly surprised; he harbored no ill purpose or selfish intentions. This eased her nerves slightly, but the piercing gaze of his dark eyes continued to fuel her apprehension.

In response to the warrior's question, Bra simply gave him a blank look. _How do I tell him that I don't understand?_ She sighed and shook her head. There was no point in trying. She decided that her best course of action was to leave this eatery and try to find another one. She grabbed her sunglasses and scooted towards the edge of the booth. But she was stopped by the next set of words out of the man's mouth.

"You're not one of the locals, are you?" he spoke in a language she _could_ understand.

Bra blinked at him incredulously. _Is that... galactic standard?_

"Good," he added, "because I hate speaking their awful tongue. It's rough on the vocal chords."

Relief washed through her. It wasn't until this moment, when she heard words that she could understand, that she realized how isolated she truly felt. _Finally! Someone I can actually talk to!_ she mentally celebrated as a tiny grin cracked the corner of her lips.


	5. Lesson Five

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Five  
__Galactic Standard_

_ One of the things I has always prided myself on was my unnatural ability to learn the many languages and dialects of the world with incredible ease. I credit this gift to Momma, from whom my eidetic memory was inherited. In addition to learning so many of the widely spoken languages of Earth, I had also learned several alien languages. Among those were Daddy's native tongue of the saiyans and the language of the saiyans' first enemy, the tsufuru, from which many words were adopted into saiyashi._

_ But there was one alien language in particular that I had a lot of difficulty with. Galactic standard. When I was twelve years old, Daddy decided it was time that I learn this abysmal language. Having had no prior difficulty becoming fluent in any language thus far, galactic standard had proven to be quite infuriating to me. The more I struggled with it, the more I wanted to give up. But Daddy was determined to teach me._

_ During one particular lesson, he had handwritten a long paragraph in galactic standard and instructed me to first read it out loud to him and then to translate its meaning into human common. There were several problems that I was having with the request. First, galactic standard – or GS – was made up of dozens of characters. Second, most of those characters had pronunciations that didn't exist in any human language or dialect. _

_ In addition, the grammar was vastly different. There were no definitive articles in GS; words such as 'the,' 'a,' or 'an' were just implied. There was no pluralization of words either; unless a specific number accompanied a noun, there was no obvious indication whether there was one of something or hundreds of it. Words were gender specific in GS. But unlike some of the languages of Earth where there were no more than three gender variations of a word – male, female, or neutral – GS had five different, and very specific, gender notations – the three that also exist in Earth languages and the other two which are so difficult to comprehend that I could write an entire book on the topic. _

_ And finally, the word order made absolutely no sense. Nouns and subjects were clumped together. Adverbs and adjectives appeared before their verb and noun counterparts. Verbs placed before nouns. It was so counterintuitive compared to all the languages I had learned thus far. _

_ My eyes slowly crawled across each word on the page, skipping over most as I didn't understand them. The message was lost to me, leaving me feeling frustrated and befuddled._

_ "This is so pointless," I grumbled._

_ Daddy smirked. "That isn't the correct pronunciation nor is it the correct translation. Try again."_

_ I dropped the sheet of paper onto the table in front of me and lifted my eyes to meet those of my father. "How am I supposed to read this? You only just started teaching me galactic standard a week ago."_

_ "I was less than half your age when I learned it."_

_ "You had the benefit of a scouter to download it into the language cortex of your brain."_

_ "Not when I was a child; that type of scouter technology had not yet been developed. I was forced to learn galactic standard the hard way, and as quickly as possible since my survival depended on it."_

_ I frowned. "But my survival _doesn't_ depend on it. Why do I have to know how to speak it? It's not like an alien is gonna drop down onto the planet unexpectedly."_

_ Daddy lifted an eyebrow questioningly and I realized how silly my argument sounded. It seemed as if every couple of years, Earth was visited by extraterrestrials. Despite this frequency, however, the last to have actually landed on Earth was about a year before I was born._

_ "Okay, so maybe it's probable that some aliens will eventually find Earth," I conceded. "But it doesn't necessarily mean that they'll be speaking in galactic standard..."_

_ "Almost every space faring race on this side of the galaxy has been exposed to galactic standard," Daddy lectured. "It stands to reason that any foreign species that winds up on this mudball will have acquired at least some understanding of the language. Because there are only a handful of us on this backwater planet that are even aware of life on other worlds and even fewer who can speak galactic standard, it is imperative that you learn it as well."_

_ I sighed and retrieved the discarded sheet of paper from the table top, resuming my studies of the impossible language. _

_ Over the course of the next several months, I slowly came to grasp the bizarre sentence structure, the odd pronunciations, and the vast vocabulary. Daddy had been unyielding with his lessons, but his patience had paid off. I was very proud of myself when, after two years of solid study, I could converse fluently in galactic standard. Despite this, I still very much doubted that I would need to utilize it any time soon. _

_ How very wrong I was._

_~ from The Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Unknown  
Location: Unknown

Conquering planets was becoming tiresome work. And when forced to do it alone, Raditz was quickly realizing, the job was all the more exhausting. He used to thrive with the hum of battle in his veins, to relish in the challenge of conquering a powerful foe, to crave the taste of blood and sweat in the air. But that exhilaration had been waning over the past few galactic years. The thrill simply wasn't there anymore. Purges were no longer pushing his limits. His battles against his foes were always the same; nothing new to pique his interest. He felt... stagnant. Trapped by his limitations. Simply put, he was bored. And boredom was tiresome.

This was why the long-haired saiyan had decided to make an unscheduled pit stop on his way back from his latest purge. Sure, Prince Vegeta would be displeased with the delay, but when Raditz felt the need to get out of his cramped pod and stretch his legs, he couldn't resist that urge. He was in desperate need of some downtime, even if it was only for a day. He needed some time to unwind, to get some rest without the fear of an ambush or a tyrannical overlord to disturb him in the middle of his sleep. He wanted just a few hours to himself without having to answer to someone else.

Raditz had arrived on this little outpost only the night before. Upon landing, he had immediately checked into the nearest hotel, too tired even to peruse one of the local brothels. Of course, there were plenty of prostitutes mingling in the streets of the city and it would have been easy enough to solicit one or two on his way to a hotel. But even that felt like it would take more energy than it was worth. Besides, who wanted a whore from the street when one could have a nice, clean girl from a reputable establishment? Perhaps before he left the planet he would seek out one of the many brothels this outpost had to offer.

After a few hours of solid sleep on the first comfortable bed he had laid on in almost an entire galactic year, Raditz did the second thing that came to mind. He went out to sedate his ravaging hunger. A few blocks down from the hotel he had stayed in the night before – which was a little more run down than he had realized the night before – was a diner of sorts. The aroma wafting from the little bar-and-grill beckoned to him. In the end, it didn't matter to him from where he got his food, so long as he got it soon.

The tall saiyan man made quick work of the large meal that he had ordered. He plowed through several servings, ignoring the stares of all the other patrons in the diner. When he finally felt satisfied, he sat back in his seat to give himself some time to digest, sipping on a mug of alcohol. He couldn't remember the name the orange-skinned bar wench gave to the drink and it wasn't a very strong beverage, but it served to wash his meal down all the same.

It was while Raditz was enjoying his post-feeding-lethargy that an odd looking patron entered the diner. Her strange coloring and even stranger choice of attire was what caught his eye. She had bright blue hair and porcelain skin. A bizarre duel-lens, black tinted, scouter-like device covered both of her eyes. And she wore a large and tattered frock which disguised the rest of her features. The ensemble looked quite ridiculous. She hovered by the doorway for a few moments as she scanned the occupants of the establishment. At one point, her attention seemed to linger on him for several seconds, but with her eyes shielded, he couldn't be too certain. Shortly after her attention seemed to move away from him, she suddenly slid into the booth nearest her, as if she had caught herself in a moment of embarrassment.

The long-haired saiyan watched her from his shadowy booth as she removed the eye-wear from her face. Bright, blue eyes were revealed. She was definitely the oddest colored girl he had encountered so far. If not for her bizarre hues and small frame, he could have mistaken her for a saiyan. There were not many creatures in the galaxy that resembled his nigh extinct race. He continued to watch her as she struggled to gain comfort in the wooden booth she sat at.

Raditz considered approaching her. He wasn't sure why the desire suddenly fancied him. There were only two reasons why he would ever interact with a female; either to fuck her or kill her. But he found that his interest in her was not for either of these reasons. Sure, she had a pretty face, but she didn't exude sex appeal. And she had done nothing so far to make him want to squeeze the life out of her. So what was so unique about this one insignificant girl that was so alluring? Perhaps it was his restless boredom, calling out to him to seek out something that would spark his interest. He needed a break in the bland monotony that his life had recently become.

Before the saiyan could rise from his seat, a pair of patrons stepped away from the bar and approached the girl instead. They smelt menacing; they didn't bother concealing their lust for her. Raditz didn't like the idea of these men going anywhere near her. _What is this protective instinct I am feeling?_ he wondered. _The girl is nothing to me. I should not concern myself with her._ Yet, he found himself leaning forward a little, listening to the men as they spoke, thankful that he had imprinted the planet's native language prior to his arrival on this world.

"Well what do we have here?" taunted the first male, a tall, red-haired man with four eyes.

"A pretty little thing," the lizard-like man observed. "Are you lonely?" he asked the girl.

"Would you like some company?" the first teased.

The girl glowered at the men, but said nothing. Raditz watched but hesitated to act. Like many of Frieza's outposts, this was the way the locals behaved; take what you want, defend what was yours – if you could. If the girl couldn't handle herself, then it was her mistake for coming here. Still, the situation didn't sit well with Raditz, and he wasn't completely sure why.

The saiyan had seen plenty of incidents of violence and rape and death in his many years under Frieza's employ. He had been assigned his first purging mission when he was just a cub of three; the blood of millions of helpless people had soiled his hands before he had lost his milk teeth. By the time he had returned to his home world at the age of five, the planet was destroyed and his parents were dead. Soon after, he was taken under the wing of a saiyan named Nappa, a top general in the former saiyan army and, at the time, guardian to Prince Vegeta.

Under Nappa's care, Raditz had been exposed to more and more depravity as the symptoms of post traumatic stress chipped away at the older saiyan's psyche. Nappa had difficulty coping with the loss of his mate and two cubs during the destruction of Planet Vegeta. Having Raditz and Prince Vegeta under his care when they were young had helped alleviate his earliest symptoms. But as the cubs grew older and depended upon him less and less, Nappa struggled to maintain an equilibrium. He took his pain out on his unfortunate victims, cruelly slaughtering them in ways that became more and more brutal over the years. And when he was feeling particularly sadistic, he would force himself upon his female victims before killing them. If it weren't for Prince Vegeta's assertion over the giant brute, Nappa would have deteriorated into a ruthless, mindless killing machine by now.

It wasn't just Nappa who raped his prey, however. Many soldiers in Frieza's army willingly and gleefully tormented their victims in their final moments. But Raditz and Prince Vegeta were two who did not. Despite his refusal to partake in the practice, the ruthlessness of rape had still become like an everyday occurrence to Raditz. He had long ago grown numb to it. And as he watched the blue-haired girl at the other end of the bar, it appeared as if the act of rape was certainly going to play out yet again in front of him. As he predicted this outcome, he felt, for the first time ever, bothered by the thought.

Discreetly, the long-haired saiyan pressed the button on his scouter and read the power levels of both men and the girl. The men had energy levels that were pathetic; the red-haired man was a mere 158 and the lizard was even weaker at 139. But the girl... Hers was abysmally small. Her ki read at a mere twelve. She didn't stand a chance. He clicked the button on his scouter again and disengaged the ki-reader with a sad shake of his head.

The lizard man reached out and took a lock of the girl's hair between two of his scaly fingers. "A girl like this would fetch a nice price," he commented to his partner-in-crime.

The red-haired man grinned maliciously in agreement. "Yes, after we've fucked her brains out."

Raditz had seen and heard enough. He launched out of his seat and phased across the room in half a heartbeat. He snatched the lizard man's wrist and bend it backward until he felt and heard the satisfactory snapping of his bones. The lizard screeched in pain, helpless to escape the hold on his arm. The red-haired man stood frozen in place with an expression of shock, mouth agape and speechless.

"You will leave here at once before I break more of your bones," Raditz growled to the men in the local guttural language.

The long-haired saiyan none-to-gently released his grip on the lizard's arm. The alien quickly scurried away to the exit of the establishment, his cohort fast on his heels. Raditz kept his menacing gaze on them until the door shut behind them. Once they were gone, he cast his gaze across the establishment, leering at the remaining patrons. They quickly averted their eyes. With their attentions returned to their meals, Raditz softened the expression on his face and plopped into the seat across from the girl.

"This is a dangerous neighborhood for a girl-child. What brings you here?" he asked her calmly.

She didn't immediately answer him. She scrutinized him instead. Raditz didn't mind. _Let her decide what she want of me,_ he thought. _She has every right to be wary of me._ Her face slowly morphed into an annoyed and hauntingly familiar scowl, one he couldn't quite place. It stirred an inexplicable feeling of anxiety to pool deep in Raditz's stomach. _There is something eerie about her_, he noted. _It is like I recognize her, yet I cannot place where I might know her from._ He dismissed that thought. _It is unlikely that I know her. I would certainly have remembered this girl if I had encountered her before..._

Eventually, the girl's scowl melted into a blank look. She still had yet to answer him. A small, quiet sigh escaped her lips, like the softest whisper on a gentle wind. Raditz couldn't make sense of her quickly shifting expressions and body language. But when she snatched her eye-device from the table and slid to the edge of the booth as if to leave, something suddenly became clear.

"You're not one of the locals, are you?" the long-haired man asked in galactic standard.

This time, he got a strong reaction from the girl. She immediately halted her departure and locked eyes with him. She blinked at him in stunned surprise. Raditz felt a thrill of excitement and satisfaction; clearly she understood him this time.

"Good," Raditz continued, "because I hate speaking their awful tongue. It's rough on the vocal chords."

A tiny grin pulled at the corner of the girl's mouth. "You know galactic standard," she breathed in disbelief.

Raditz could see the elation and relief in her eyes. "I take it you've had an insufficient exchange of conversation as of late."

"You could say that," she answered. "You're the first person I've been able to talk to since I got here."

The long-haired man pondered on that revelation. _Why would a girl come to a world without the ability to communicate with the locals?_

"As I was trying to say to you before," Raditz clarified, "this is a dangerous area for a girl such as yourself. Why would you risk coming here without an escort?"

The brightness in the girl's eyes dimmed as troubling thoughts crossed her mind. "It's kind of a long story..."

Raditz waited for her to elaborate. He drew in a deep breath, pulling in the many scents emanating from her. Strongest of the scents were the more recent ones; blood and a concoction of medicinal herbs. Beneath that, he detected the earthy smell of soil and the acrid stench of smoke. Placing all of these together, the logical conclusion was that she had recently been in a battle. _That would explain her pathetically low power level_, he guessed. _She must have just barely escaped alive._

"Wait a minute... What exactly do you mean by 'a girl such as [my]self?'" the girl accused, snapping her guest out of his reverie.

Raditz was slightly affronted. "I meant no offense," he explained in an annoyed tone. "Just that you appear younger than most females in this district. Plus, you have a comely face. Your youth and your looks certainly attract a lot of attention."

The blue-haired girl blushed and averted her gaze. Her accusatory glare deflated instantly after hearing the round-about compliment. Raditz thought that her modesty added to her allure and mystery.

The saiyan continued, "And if I'm not mistaken, you're injured... and vulnerable. I just didn't think it wise for someone in your condition to be without an escort in such a seedy place."

The girl nodded slightly, still avoiding eye contact. Almost meekly, she said, "Thank you for your concern, but I could have handled those brutes."

Raditz grinned condescendingly. "If you say so, princess."

The girl's eyes snapped to his, something akin to alarm reflected in her blue orbs. But she buried the show of emotion. The conversation suddenly came to a pause. A long and awkward silence stretched between them. The girl was clearly uncomfortable in the company of the strange man. She had averted her attention to other points throughout the diner. She fidgeted with her eye-device.

Raditz wasn't ready for their conversation to end, searching for a way to continue their exchange. He realized something, "Forgive me, I've neglected to introduce myself. My name is Raditz."

The girl met his eyes and that look of surprise crossed her features again. "Raditz? As in... Raditz of the saiyans?"

The long-haired man was taken aback, surprised as well that she recognized his name. _How does she know me?_ he wondered. _I do not think I have met her before... I am certain I have not..._

"You know me?" he prompted her.

"Uh... yea. Sort of," she answered nervously. "I've _heard_ of you, actually. Saiyans _do_ kind of have a notorious reputation, you know. And there _are_ only a few saiyans left in the galaxy, right? I thought it went without saying that your name was well known throughout the galaxy."

Raditz accepted the answer, although a little skeptically. _I would have an easier time believing her if she had said Prince Vegeta's or even Nappa's reputations preceded them. But mine? I am just their lackey. Whatever notoriety I might elicit is immediately attributed to them. When I die, my name will fade into obscurity. Not even Lord Frieza bothers to remember my name._

"But here's the thing," she added. "I thought you were dead?"

He raised a curious eyebrow. "Dead?"

"Yea. Killed by a namekian," she elaborated.

The saiyan blinked at her preposterously. After a moment, he burst out in a loud guffaw. "A namekian? Those tree-planting, peace-lovers?" He laughed again. "_That_ is perhaps the funniest story I've heard in over a galactic year! Dead indeed!"

"Yea, funny, huh?" the girl responded with a halfhearted giggle. A troubled look overcame her. "Tell me something. What is today's date?"

Raditz's laughter died as he soaked in her solemn disposition. _An odd question_, he thought.

"Today is the thirty-seventh day of the second galactic quarter," he answered.

Her expression was blank, as if that information meant little to her. "And the year?"

The saiyan quirked his eyebrow again. "Galactic year 759."

The girl retreated into her thoughts. She muttered something too quiet for Raditz to make out. After a moment, her eyes widened. In a language that Raditz didn't understand, but presumed to be the girl's native tongue, she whispered, "Oh... my... Dende..."

"Is something wrong?" the saiyan inquired, reacting to the tone of disbelief in her voice.

The blue-haired female shook her head. "No. Yes. I don't know. Um... look. Thank you for helping me and all. But I should probably get going..."

She moved to get up. Raditz stopped her by placing a hand on her wrist. He wasn't ready for them to part ways just yet.

"Wait. You have yet to tell me your name..." the saiyan implored.

"B- uhh... lla," she stuttered. "Bulla. My friends call me Bulla."

The long-haired man eyed her. A hinting scent of deception wafted from her direction. _She is lying_, he knew. It didn't sit well with him. For some reason he couldn't explain, he decided not to press the issue. But he wasn't going to let her off the hook completely.

"You aren't being honest with me, but I assume you have your reasons. I will allow you your secrets. So, Bulla it is then, eh?"

Bra bowed her head graciously. "Thank you for respecting my privacy."

The blunette breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that Raditz would accept her alias with no questions asked, despite knowing that she wasn't being truthful. She had nearly blurted her name to him. What a mistake that would have been! Somehow, she had ended up in the past. Stuck here, as she was, she couldn't possibly reveal her true identity to him without risking the events that were to take place in the future. And that was why she was in a hurry to leave. She couldn't remain in the company of one of her father's associates any longer than necessary. The longer she stayed in his presence, the greater the chance was that he would accidentally discover something about the future.

Raditz nodded in response to Bra's gratitude. "You're welcome. And whatever it is that's troubling you, surely you don't have to leave so hastily. You haven't eaten yet, and I assume that's why you came in here to begin with. Can I buy you something?"

The halfling shook her head. "No, thank you. I couldn't impose..."

"Nonsense!" the saiyan man brushed aside her refusal. He called over to the bar maid using the local language. "Wench! Bring another serving of my earlier order! Add it to my bill!"

Defeated, Bra settled back into the booth. She conceded that she was indeed still hungry. But her thoughts were busy on the information she had just acquired. Up until now, she was certain that the aliens who had attacked her home had merely sent her to another world. But now, she realized, they had done more than just that. Somehow she had been transported into the past as well. And if her calculations were correct, based on the galactic date Raditz had given her, the date on Earth was roughly 5 May, 759.

The thought was overwhelming. _I'm over thirty years in the past... How did I end up _thirty years_ in the past?! I mean... Gohan's probably just a little kid right now. Momma and Daddy aren't married yet... they haven't even met yet! And how am I supposed to get home now? Before, it was just a matter of finding a ship and hitching a ride back to Earth. But now what do I do? _

_ I suppose I could use the dragonballs after I return to Earth and wish myself back to the present... But the window of opportunity is small. I have to get to Earth at least a year before Raditz goes there. After he and Uncle Goku die, Momma starts the hunt for the dragonballs to wish Uncle Goku back... If I use the balls within a year of Raditz's arrival, they won't be active when Momma goes to search for them. She'll know that they've been used. While she may not find out it was me, it will still screw up the timeline of events. So... I have about one year and five Earth months to get back. That seems like it's enough time... but I have no idea how long it will take for me to get home. Hopefully, I'm not too far away from Earth to get there in time._

A large platter of food entered Bra's field of view as the bar maid set it down on the table. The sudden appearance of the plate broke the blunette's thoughts, bringing her back to the present. The bar maid set a few mugs of alcohol down on the table as well and then walked away. Bra scrutinized the food in front of her. It looked disgusting. Three dozen small, rodent-like creatures – skinned, gutted, and roasted – filled her plate. Their charred little heads hadn't even been removed from their bodies before or after they were cooked. Their empty eye sockets and blackened snouts leered gruesomely at her.

Raditz watched in amusement as Bra poked at the meat with the three-pronged utensil that had been provided. Apparently, she was accustomed to foods that were a bit more sophisticated than this. He didn't exactly blame her for her hesitation. The dish before her was made from the most abundant food source available – city pests. Even compared to his own normal military diet, this was a poor man's meal. But here on this outpost, it was considered a delicacy. The girl had no idea how many credits the dish had cost, not that he couldn't afford it.

Bra leaned in closer and took a deep sniff of the meal. The aroma of a thick, sweet glaze filled her delicate nose. As awful as the dish looked, it smelled amazing. Her mouth began to water. But the memory of her experience that morning with the native and its stew had left her wary. She breathed in the scent of the dish again, searching for an unnatural or unusual odor.

Raditz took notice. "Is something the matter?"

The blunette sat upright again. "The last time I was offered food, I was nearly drugged. I'm just being careful."

The long-haired man grinned. "If you like, I can sample it for you."

"No, it's fine. I can't smell anything wrong with it."

Bra poked one of the rodents with her utensil again, formulating a way to eat the unusual creature. _A knife would be nice_, she thought. Eventually, she decided to hold it in place with the thumb and forefinger of her left hand while she tore away a morsel of meat with the utensil in her right hand. Cautiously, she brought the tidbit of food to her mouth. The taste of the glaze exploded in her mouth, a rich and sweet flavor teased her tongue. She had expected that the meat would taste awful, but she discovered that the flavor somewhat resembled pork. In that moment, she forgot all about the fact that she was consuming creatures that resembled rats and continued eating with enthusiasm.

Raditz was amused when Bra suddenly abandoned her hesitation. He was glad that she was enjoying her meal. He was fascinated by her mannerisms; he found that her table etiquette was unusual. When he had eaten his meal, he had simply popped each animal in his mouth, bones and all. She was far daintier, using her hands as little as possible and cutting tiny pieces of meat away from the bones as neatly as she could. He was mesmerized by the silver-colored utensil dancing from her plate to her pink lips.

Midway through the meal, the girl sampled a sip of her beverage. She had never tasted alcohol before and while the experience was enticing, she was also nervous. She took the tiniest sip, but it had a very strongly bitter taste. Her face puckered in reaction. Raditz released a loud bark of laughter. Bra angrily pushed her mug towards him, having no interest in finishing it. Fortunately, he asked the bar maid for a pitcher of water, which Bra was grateful for.

Soon enough, the teenager had finished eating. A pile of tiny bones was all that remained of her meal. Although she wasn't quite sated, her belly felt better already. She would have asked for a second helping, but she was concerned that doing so would draw suspicion from Raditz. As a full-blooded saiyan, he would instantly pick up on someone whose eating habits were excessive compared to normal appetites. As it was, he appeared to be impressed that she had finished the platter. She had to do some damage control lest he begin to question her racial identity.

"Thank you very much," Bra said. With some embellishment, she added, "That was surprisingly good. I can't believe I ate all of it; I feel like such a glut. But I feel much better now. I hadn't eaten anything since yesterday."

Raditz grinned. "It was my pleasure."

"I hope it didn't cost too much."

"Don't worry about it."

Another awkward silence ensued. Bra decided that it was probably time they should part ways. She felt a little guilty, however. She hated feeling like she was dining on his zeni – or whatever currency he used – and then dashing. But what could she do? She couldn't repay him for his generosity. Nor could she remain in his company much longer. It was best to end this as soon as possible. She rose from the booth.

"Again, thank you so much for everything," the blue-haired girl said with a small bow. "But I really should be going."

Raditz rose from his seat as well, towering over the halfling's small frame. "Where are you off to?"

Bra hesitated. _Great. He had to complicate things. Why can't he just accept a farewell?_ "Well... I was hoping I could catch a ride off this planet," she answered a little vaguely.

The saiyan lifted an eyebrow skeptically. "Do you have the means to acquisition transportation off of this world?"

"Uhh... I don't know yet."

"You do realize that most individuals on this world and in this galaxy won't lend you their assistance without a price?"

Bra met his challenge. "_You_ have helped me so far and gotten nothing in return. Why wouldn't anyone else do the same?"

"Because I have been uncharacteristically nice to you," he corrected. "And so far, I have gotten the pleasure of your company in return."

Feeling admonished, the blunette countered, "Well, I'm sure there's some skill I could exchange for a ride off this planet." _I'm certain I could build something or repair something in need of fixing in return for a lift._

Raditz eyed her. "I'm sure that the skills most men would be interested in are not the ones you have in mind."

Bra's eyes widened. "I... I..." She was speechless.

The long-haired man allowed a smirk of satisfaction to spread across his lips. "I didn't think so. You are clearly unaccustomed to the workings of the galaxy. How you have survived this long astounds me. My suggestion is that you stick with me, at least until you have secured passage to your destination. I will make sure you aren't taken advantage of."

The teen opened her mouth to protest, but another wave of dizziness suddenly struck her. She thought that she was past her bouts of vertigo; she hadn't felt the least bit tipsy while she had been sitting down. She leaned into the backside of the booth she had risen from, closing her eyes while waiting for the spell to pass. She thought that if she ate something, the nutrients would help her metabolize the poisons in her bloodstream. Apparently, that was not the case.

Raditz eyed her. "What's the matter?"

Bra opened her eyes. "It's nothing. Just a little tipsy. I'll be fine."

He grinned playfully. "Oh, you can't possibly be intoxicated! You barely had a sip of alcohol!"

When the blunette didn't respond to his teasing, he grew concerned. The long-haired male gently took her by her shoulders and leaned in close to her. The girl immediately tensed up. She heard his short puffs of breath as he drew in her scent. After a moment, he withdrew from her, but his hands lingered on her shoulders, offering support. She looked up into his eyes, and found a trace of alarm in his dark brown orbs.

"There is a neurotoxin running through your system," he informed her. He couldn't believe that he hadn't detected it sooner.

"I know," she muttered. "I hoped that it would have run its course by now."

"Possible. But there is something on your person that continues to feed it into you."

Bra raised her right hand and rested it on the wound in her left side. Through the layers of clothing, she fingered the bandages adhered to her flesh. This action drew Radtiz's attention.

"What is that?" he asked.

Her eyes grew distant as she explained. "One of the locals tended to an injury... It put a salve on the wound; to help it heal, I initially thought... But that same creature also tried to slip me some poison in some sort of stew. I think it used the same poison in the salve it put on me..." she explained.

"And you haven't removed it yet?"

"I haven't exactly had time to," she retorted.

"Come with me back to my hotel room," Raditz ordered.

"What?" Bra responded. "I can't go back to your hotel room! That's just creepy!"

The long-haired man scowled. "While under normal circumstances, I would only invite a female to my room to satisfy certain needs, I assure you that in this case, that is not my intention. We must get that salve washed off of you as quickly as possible."

"I don't know..." she continued to hesitate.

"What other choice do you have, Bulla? Are you willing to trust another one of the locals to help you when you've already been deceived by one? Or will you trust me?"

The blunette considered her options. Certainly, she could go off on her own right now. She didn't have to stick around with him. Although... It was likely that she would continue to feel sick until she found somewhere to wash the salve off. It was probable that she'd run into the authorities before she found a safe place to do so. And when she did find a safe location, would it be secure long enough until she was better? Raditz was offering her an escort, a safe place to wash up, and his protection until she was well again. _Dammit. It would be stupid not to accept his offer,_ she realized.

"Alright," she conceded despite the risk she knew she was taking by remaining in his company.

Raditz smiled. "Excellent. Let me pay my bill and we'll be on our way."


	6. Lesson Six

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Six  
Protect Your Secrets_

_ My first real date, with a young man named Bass Ringstir, had ended horrifically. After realizing that Bass had had no real interest in me, but instead, had only been interested in the fame he could obtain via associating himself with me, I had overreacted and had thrown him into a wall. Although I hadn't thrown him hard enough to cause any serious harm, the strength behind the act was clearly superhuman. And it had all been captured by the camera of a nearby paparazzi._

_ This knowledge haunted me. I didn't know which tabloid the photographer worked for. So it was, for several weeks, that I scanned the magazines every time I entered a grocery store or a bookstore, expecting to see my face on a cover. The longer the time passed without seeing the story of my secret strength published, the more the dread pooled in my stomach._

_ Apparently, my anxiety had grown so palpable that Daddy could easily feel it through the bond we shared. One day, three weeks after my failed date, he confronted me about my concerns._

_ "Come here, girl," Daddy called to me as I passed by the family room._

_ I was taken by surprise by the request. It was early in the evening; dinner wouldn't be served for another hour and Daddy usually stayed in the Gravity Simulation Room until fifteen minutes before dinner. The fact that he had broken from his strict training schedule was very unusual. To find that he had been lurking in the family room, waiting for my presence, was a little unsettling._

_ I tried to be as nonchalant as possible. "What is it, Daddy?"_

_ "Sit down," he beckoned towards a sofa. That was not a good sign, but I complied anyway._

_ "What's this about?" I asked nervously._

_ Daddy cut right to the chase. "Why have you been behaving so strangely?"_

_ I tried to play it off. "What do you mean?"_

_ I really didn't want Daddy to know that I was so upset about the debacle that was my first date. He had been right about the entire thing, but I had refused to listen to him. Although I know Daddy hadn't judged me when the truth came to light, and I knew that he wasn't judging me now, I still couldn't help but feel ashamed for being so naïve and foolish. _

_ More importantly, I didn't want Daddy to think that I was ashamed of my lineage. It was hard enough being the granddaughter of Levi Briefs, daughter of Bulma Briefs, and sister to Trunks Briefs. The last thing I needed was for the world to know that I was inexplicably strong, let alone half-alien. Which was why I had taken such great care to hide this fact from the public. Daddy and Trunks might not have any qualms with displaying their super-human powers. But I wanted as normal of a life as possible. I didn't need gossip of my saiyan background to add to the rumor mill._

_ But Daddy would never understand that. He felt no shame with his saiyan heritage. No, it was quite the opposite. He was very prideful of his race. I know that he knew that I tried to downplay the strength and abilities he gifted to me through his saiyan DNA, but I could never voice the truth to him. I know that if I did, it would make the truth too real for him. So long as I didn't say that I was hiding my saiyan talents, he could pretend that I wasn't doing so. If I were to say it directly to him, he would take it as an insult. He would feel that I was ashamed of my lineage, of the half of me that represented him and his culture._

_ So how could I tell him that I was terrified of this truth being published in a magazine for all the world to read?_

_ Daddy elaborated his earlier question about my behavior. "I want to know why you have been so frightened as of late. You are paranoid. Skittish. Tell me why. Is it that boy? Has he been bothering you?"_

_ I smiled wanly. "No, Daddy. It isn't Bass. I haven't seen him since our... date."_

_ "Then what is the issue?"_

_ I sighed. "It's just... That photographer. He got everything. He saw me throw Bass into the wall."_

_ "I don't see the issue."_

_ He was pushing me to admit the truth. So I tried to spin it in such a way that was an embellishment of that truth so that I wouldn't say something that would wound his pride. I decided to omit the part where I was deliberately trying to hide my saiyan abilities and my fear that they were about to be revealed and instead focused on the possible result that such a revelation could have on my social life._

_ "Daddy... If those pictures are published... what boy would want to go on a date with me? They'll be afraid of me. They won't want to kiss me, or hold my hand, or even talk to me for that matter! They'll think I'll want to throw them into walls too!"_

_ A broad smile cracked Daddy's lips. "I see nothing wrong with that."_

_ "Daddy! I'm being serious!"_

_ The smile fell as a sigh escaped his mouth. "Yes. I suppose I can't keep you celibate forever. But I'll be damned if I don't at least try."_

_ I felt my cheeks warm with embarrassment as he spoke of my virginity so flippantly. "Oh my Dende! Really, Daddy? I'm thirteen! I'm not gonna have... you know... any time soon! But if I can't date anyone, then how will I ever know what to look for in a guy when I decide I'm ready to... get married... or something."_

_ "When that time comes, I will decide for you the qualities that you should seek."_

_ I sighed._

_ Sensing my exasperation, Daddy shifted gears. "But I believe we have gotten off topic. These photographs... are you really so concerned about them?"_

_ "Yes. I thought for sure that the story would have been published by now."_

_ He nodded. "I'll admit that they should have. Your mother and I didn't want to worry you, so we declined to share this information with you, but I see that we have failed in that endeavor. The photographer contacted us a week ago. Apparently, he is a freelance photographer; he'll sell the photos to the highest bidder. But before going to any of the tabloids, he thought he would try for far more money than any publishing company could offer by attempting to extort money from your mother in exchange for the photos."_

_ My eyes widened with this information. I couldn't believe what I was being told. "So... have you decided to pay him off?"_

_ "Not yet. Your mother believes we should. I disagree. Folding to his demands is no guarantee that he will not demand more funds in the future, nor would it guarantee his silence. In the past, I would have handled this type of situation much differently; my methods would have guaranteed that he didn't talk."_

_ I was momentarily alarmed. "You can't hurt him!"_

_ Daddy smiled a little darkly, but only for a moment before it faded. "Of course not. This situation is not like those that I had to deal with in my youth. Since I know that I cannot handle this situation as I would have in the past, and since your mother's suggestion cannot promise any certain results, we have remained at an impasse."_

_ My brain churned as I processed this. Finally, I asked, "Well, why can't we hire him?"_

_ Daddy gave me a puzzled look. "Explain."_

_ "We hire him as a staff photographer. He can work in our advertising division. He gets a steady salary which would eliminate the need to continue extorting us for money and at the same time we can keep tabs on his activities. We make him sign a confidentiality agreement, just like the rest of the employees here. And as a condition of his employment here, he has to confiscate all evidence of my... date."_

_ Daddy's expression was blank for several minutes. With his silence, I began to think that perhaps my plan was silly and childish. But finally, he spoke._

_ "Very well. I will discuss this with your mother."_

_ I breathed a sigh of relief. This might just very well blow over._

_ "If this should fall into place," Daddy warned, "do be careful in the future. I'm certain that your mother won't want to hire every person who happens to discover one of your secrets."_

_ "I promise, I will."_

_ And from that day onward, I did my very best to keep that promise._

_~from The Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Age 759, Second Galactic Quarter, Day 37 (Approx. 5 May, 759 Earth Time)  
Location: Unknown

After paying his bill in the diner, Raditz escorted Bra back outside into the brightly lit outdoors. The blunette slipped her sunglasses back on her face, not to disguise herself this time, but to shade her eyes. In the short amount of time she had been in the eatery, the temperature had risen dramatically. Underneath her clothes, her backpack, and the ugly frock, the heat felt suffocating.

"Hold on a second," Bra asked of her temporary companion.

Raditz hesitated, complying with her request. He watched as the girl slipped the frock up and over her head, removing the unflattering clothing. He got a much better view of her figure and made no effort to hide the fact that he was eyeing her feminine curves. _She looks much better without that garment,_ he thought in appreciation. While her clothes appeared to do nothing in the way of protecting her, they hugged her figure nicely. And, much to his relief, the strange lump on her back turned out to be a satchel of some sort, previously hidden beneath the frock.

Bra looked around momentarily for a place to discard the unwanted article, but finding no trash receptacle, she chose the option of tossing the frock onto a nearby pile of debris. _Let someone else have that hideous thing,_ she thought. Already she felt so much better. A light breeze caressed her skin, cooling her immediately. She turned to face her escort, ready to leave.

"Okay, so where to?" she inquired in a positive tone.

Raditz was unaccustomed to such an upbeat demeanor, but recovered quickly. "This way," he answered as he led the way down the avenue.

They had only walked about a block before they ran into trouble. A trio of local authorities approached them from behind. One of them grabbed hold of Bra and quickly spun her around. Raditz reacted immediately. He grabbed the officer by his shoulder and yanked him away from the teenager. He growled threateningly. His tail unwound from his waist and lashed back and forth angrily.

"What is the meaning of this?" the saiyan male demanded in the local language.

One of the officers explained, "This girl is wanted for questioning. She was involved in a conflict last night. There was an incident of unauthorized ki discharge. One of the parties was severely wounded."

Raditz looked at Bra with a small amount of suspicion and skepticism. She was a small girl, almost no muscle on her. The ki reading he had taken of her a little while ago indicated that she was pathetically weak – her ki read at a measly twelve. How could it be possible that she was involved? Meanwhile, the blue-haired female had been fighting off another dizzy spell; the act of being spun around so quickly had served as a catalyst, but the poison in her system continued the reaction. She wasn't paying attention to the dialogue between the men, but Raditz knew that she wouldn't have been able to follow it anyway since she was unfamiliar with the native language.

"Are you alright?" the tall saiyan asked her in galactic standard.

Bra shook away the vertigo. "Yea. I think I'll be fine. He took me by surprise, is all."

"Do you realize you are wanted by the authorities?"

"Yes. But I don't know why."

"He says you might know something about someone being injured by a ki blast last night. Is this true?" he asked.

Bra's eyes snapped to his. She wasn't sure how to answer the question. She had to tread very carefully. If she revealed that she was strong enough to use her ki, she might rouse his suspicion. And then he'd begin to question her heritage. But if she denied her involvement, the scent of her deception would definitely tip him off. She decided that she might as well tell the truth – or at least as much of it as she could without admitting too much about herself.

"I think so. Probably. I was attacked last night. I was only trying to defend myself. But I didn't attack him with a ki blast or anything like that. I just... punched him."

"You just punched him?" the full-blooded saiyan repeated.

"Yea. In the throat. He went down. Anyone would if they were punched in the throat, no matter how strong or weak the punch was. Then the..." she searched for a word in galactic standard to use for police and not finding one, she settled on, "...soldiers showed up. I couldn't explain what had happened. How could I? I don't know their language! I got scared, so I ran. And they've been looking for me ever since."

Raditz eyed her warily, but found nothing to indicate that she was being untruthful. She was calm and confident. Her blue eyes stayed locked on his during her entire confession. He could not smell a lie on her. So he believed her. As unlikely as he thought it was that someone as weak as she could take down an attacker, he concluded that the story was sound.

He cracked a toothy grin. "You certainly know how to lure trouble, Bulla. You know that, right?"

Bra returned the smile, if a bit wryly. "Tell me about it."

One of the three authority figures interrupted the conversation, addressing Raditz in the local language. "We need to take her into custody. We would appreciate it if you would cooperate with us."

Although the halfling couldn't understand, she knew that they wanted to apprehend her. To Raditz, she pleaded, "Please. I don't want to go with them. I have a feeling that they'll hold me accountable for what happened, even though it wasn't my fault. I've seen enough of this place to know that an individual's rights aren't really protected here, especially a foreign female who doesn't speak the language."

Raditz wasn't sure what it was about the girl's plight that pulled at the few cold heartstrings he had inside of him. He had had countless souls beg and plead with him over the many galactic years he had served in Lord Frieza's army. He had long ago grown immune to such pathetic behavior. It disgusted him, in all honesty. Therefore, he couldn't explain why it was that he felt compelled to help her yet again.

The long-haired saiyan turned to the waiting soldiers. "I'm afraid I cannot release her into your custody."

The officers' expressions shifted to shock and anger. One demanded, "Why not?"

"Because she will remain under my supervision. As a saiyan and a soldier in Lord Frieza's army, my authority trumps yours. Unless you'd like to take the issue up with my superior officer?"

The three authority figures immediately cowed under Raditz command. One mention of the word 'saiyan' and of Lord Frieza's name had them shaking in fear and sweating nervously.

"Our apologies," said one.

"No need to say anything to your superior," replied another.

"We will report that this case is closed," informed the third.

Raditz looked down upon them smugly. "Very well. Now remove yourselves from my presence."

"Yes, sir."

"Right away, sir."

"Thank you, sir."

Bra watched in amazement as the trio first submitted to Raditz and then fled as quickly as possible. "What did you say to them?" she wondered.

"Never you mind," he answered. "This planet's authorities will no longer bother you."

A smile stretched across her face. "Thank you. Really. I appreciate it."

Raditz grinned with a hint of smugness. "Your debt is quickly piling up," he joked.

"Yea, I know," she conceded as they continued onward towards his hotel.

* * *

Raditz opened the door to his room on the fourth – and top – floor of the hotel. He entered first, followed by his blue-haired guest. Bra walked in cautiously and skeptically. Thus far, the hotel hadn't impressed her very much. There was nothing fancy or luxurious about it; it was a far cry from the hotels she was accustomed to checking into on Earth. There were few people working at the hotel. No one to greet her while holding the front door open for her. No one to take her bag from her and escort her to her suite. No one to ask her if there was anything that she needed.

And the hotel was lacking many of the amenities she always looked forward to. No pool. No hot tub. No spa. No dining room. No banquet hall. Not even a simple elevator to take them to the top floor! She could have accepted all these things, that is, if the building was well maintained. There were light fixtures whose bulbs needed changing; they flickered at random. Paint was cracked and fading; in places it was peeling completely from the wall. In the ceilings, she spotted several old water stains either from leaky plumbing or from a leaky roof. And the smell! There was a lingering odor that was so musty that it was almost suffocating. She had to cover her nose to try to block out the smell, but had little luck with that.

But worst of all was the many guests coming and going throughout the hotel. Many of them were women, dressed similarly to those Bra had seen outside in the streets, loitering in the hotel lobby. There were so many of them that it was difficult to navigate past them as she and Raditz made their way to the single stairwell in the building. Most of them were socializing – smiling and laughing – with the hotel's guests. Some couples slipped into rooms. A few of the women attempted to gain Raditz's attention and after being brushed off by the full-blooded saiyan, shot Bra dirty looks. The blunette had felt increasingly uncomfortable the further and further she followed her escort into the establishment.

As bad as the hotel appeared, however, it was a far cry better than where the fifteen-year-old had spent her previous night. Above all else, she was thankful that this hotel had electricity and appeared to have running water. The building seemed sound enough; unlike the shanty she had slept in the night before, this hotel didn't look like it was about to collapse in on itself. And the doors were actually attached to their frames.

Things got better after they had ascended above the first floor. The crowds were smaller with each level they climbed. When they had reached the fourth floor and Raditz's room, Bra finally felt a bit of relief. But when she laid her eyes upon the small, minimally furnished room, that relief was replaced with disappointment. The room was in as poor shape as the rest of the building. The only furniture in the room was a bed and a bedside table, meaning that there wasn't anywhere to sit down except for the bed, which Bra was completely uncomfortable doing in the company of a man she only just met. Other than that, there was a narrow window in the wall opposite of the door they had come through.

Raditz walked to Bra's right and slid a panel to the left, revealing a small wash room. "You can clean up in here. Make sure you wash that salve off. Drying cloths are beneath the wash basin."

Bra hesitantly walked past Raditz and took in the sight of the wash room. Her heart sank further when she saw how tiny it was. _It's a closet! No, smaller than a closet!_ she mentally cried as she compared its size to that of her walk-in bedroom closet at home. As Raditz had mentioned only a moment ago, there was indeed a small wash basin to her right, as soon as she entered the small space. An object very similar to a toilet was crammed next to the wash basin. And in the far left corner there was a shower stall... sort of. There was a shower head hanging from the ceiling, dials set into the wall to set the temperature, and a drain in the floor. But there was nothing separating the shower from the rest of the wash room.

"Is there anything you think you will need?" Raditz asked from behind her.

Bra turned to face him. "No. Thank you. I think I can manage."

The long-haired man nodded and turned away to excuse himself.

The girl began to slide the door shut when she suddenly thought of something. "Oh, wait!"

Raditz paused and faced her again with an inquiring expression.

"You don't suppose you know where I could find a fresh set of clothes, do you?" Bra asked. "Not something like the women downstairs are wearing. Something... higher quality. And less revealing."

The teen had quickly come to realize while navigating the hotel lobby that most of the women on this planet were prostitutes. Her decision to try to blend in with them the night before had been the critical mistake that had gotten her into all her troubles since then. Knowing this now, she felt like such a fool. How could she have not seen it before? But to be fair, she had never been exposed to that sort of thing outside of television and movies. She had definitely lived a pampered and sheltered life.

Raditz thought about her request for a moment. Then he answered, "I believe so. I will retrieve something for you while you shower."

Bra's eyes widened. "Wait... You mean you're leaving me here alone?"

"Yes. There is nothing here for you to wear, obviously. I will have to go elsewhere to obtain other attire for you."

"What if... What if someone comes in here while you're gone?"

Raditz grinned. He liked the idea that she wanted him there to stand guard while she was at her most vulnerable. But he reassured her, "I won't be gone long. And no one will bother you while you are here."

She accepted his answer, albeit skeptically. "Okay," she said and slid the door closed, cutting him off from view.

* * *

Raditz kept eye contact with Bra until she slid the door closed between them. He stood there for a moment, staring at the sliding panel. It was only when he heard the sound of the shower start running that he turned away and exited the room, deep in thought.

It was an odd feeling, having a pretty female in his private room – naked – and not engage in any sexual interaction with her. The last time he had had a woman's company had been almost half of a galactic year ago. That encounter had been quite the fulfilling one – a green-skinned woman with fiery red hair and two sets of large breasts to keep him occupied. She was quite experienced, but still young enough that there was no visible evidence of aging. They had kept each other quite busy for nearly the entire night and in the morning when he had roused, he had discovered that she had taken the liberty of helping herself to his shower. He in turn had taken advantage of the situation and had joined her in the shower for one last rut before they parted ways.

Reminiscing about the lascivious alien woman had stirred Raditz's loins. He felt himself growing aroused as he remembered how the female had felt when he was inside of her. Apparently, his hardening member had not gone unnoticed as he descended the hotel stairway; a pair of scantily clad prostitutes with keen eyes had observed the bulge in his spandex shorts and they sauntered over to him.

"Looking for someone to keep you company?" drawled a pink-skinned woman with plumes of feathers for hair.

"We could show you how to have a _real_ good time," the second female, a dark-skinned woman with golden eyes, said suggestively.

They drew in close to him, gently caressing him with their hands and bodies. The pink-skinned woman slowly lowered her hand towards his crotch as if to grab hold of him and give him a sample of what he could buy from her. Ordinarily, he would have likely taken the two vixens up on their offer. But today was different. He couldn't possibly bring these two prostitutes back up to his room, not when Bra was up there showering in his room. In addition, he had said that he would find her new attire and he was therefore obligated to follow through for her.

The saiyan swatted the prostitutes hands away and then pushed past them. "I'm sorry, ladies, but I have other matters to attend to."

Raditz didn't wait around long enough to hear their snide remarks in reaction to having been so brusquely rejected. He exited the hotel and made his way towards the nearest market district. His thoughts returned to Bra and the mixed feelings she stirred within him.

_ Bulla is a very pretty girl,_ he acknowledged._ But that is just it – she is still just a girl, barely a woman grown. Is that why I do not view her as a sexual conquest? Has she not yet reached the age of adulthood?_

The saiyan shook his head refuting that idea. _She must be of an age of maturity. Her womanly curves have filled out. So why do I not see her in the same light as I have other females that I have rutted, including females that are of the same age as her? Why is it that I want to protect her rather than bed her?_ He wandered through the market district, weaving around street vendors as he pondered this contradiction to his character. _Is it her naivety? There _is_ an unusual innocence about her. She seems to be completely oblivious to the darker aspects of the galaxy. Yes. That must be it. She is too... pure. I feel as though I do not want to tarnish this innocence and purity that she exudes._

Raditz meandered over to a clothing booth as this epiphany came to him. He picked through the clothing, trying to find something that might fit Bra as he continued to evaluate what little he knew of her. _Innocent she might be, but Bulla behaves with a confidence that I have rarely seen. How could a girl so naïve and weak have such confidence? Is it _because_ of her innocence that she can be so confident? It seems plausible. A life sheltered from the cruelty of the universe, one without conflict or suffering, could very well weave a false sense of one's security. It is likely that she is blind to the truth of the workings of the galaxy and has no reason to fear it._

He selected a set of clothing and paid the vendor. _But there is something more to her confidence than that,_ he noted. _Those men in the diner that nearly abducted her... Bulla was not afraid of them at all. If anything, she was annoyed with them. She handled herself as if they were no threat to her. Perhaps she was not aware of how much stronger they were over her. No. Like most low-powered females, she should be aware of her limitations and she would have instinctively known that she would not have been able to overpower her two male attackers even without a scouter to tell her what their power levels were. It is likely that she simply did not know their intentions, having no ability to understand the native language. That is the only explanation I can think of._

The saiyan arrived back at the hotel. He put the mystery of Bra's behavior to the back of his mind as he unlocked and entered his hotel room. The shower was no longer running, but it sounded as if the wash basin was. He could hear a small amount of splashing and was curious what Bra was doing in there. Hesitantly, he approached the door and knocked.

* * *

Bra waited until she heard Raditz exit the hotel room and lock the door behind him before she stripped out of her clothes and jumped under the spray of the shower. To her shock, there was no hot water. _I should have known better,_ Bra lamented. _Dials to set the temperature, but of course they'd be non-functioning._ Fortunately, the water wasn't ice cold either. Just cold enough to make her shower initially uncomfortable. She got used to the luke-warm water after a few long and torturous minutes, enough so that she could thoroughly rinse under the weak stream of water. There was nothing in the form of soap or shampoo, so she did her best to scrub the grunge and grease from her hair and to rid herself of the layer of dirt and grime and blood caked on her skin.

_I would give anything for my toothbrush,_ the teenager grimaced as she felt the layer of plaque on her teeth. She used her finger to scrub at her teeth as best as possible and then rinsed her mouth several times. It wasn't nearly as adequate as a proper tooth-brushing, but it was all she could do.

If Bra could say anything good about this abysmal shower, it was that the cool water felt good on the wound in her side. After ridding herself of the bandages and the toxic salve that had been applied to her skin, she was able to see that it was finally starting to heal. It still looked irritated and swollen, but it was much better than it had looked the night before. The injury would not likely need to be rewrapped. The salve might have served to try to slowly poison her, but it had actually helped soothe the wound. By the time she finished her shower, she was feeling much better. Simply being clean was a vast improvement.

The halfling found two drying cloths under the wash basin, as Raditz had informed her earlier. She used the first to dry off and then wrapped her dripping hair with it. The second, she wrapped around her torso. While she waited for Raditz to return with fresh clothes, she filled the wash basin with water and took some of her more soiled clothing – the baby doll tee which was covered in blood and the tank top which had traces of blood and salve on it – and did her best to scrub them clean. She also gave her undergarments a rinse, squeezing the excess water from them in hopes that they would dry soon enough to wear again.

Her thoughts wandered as she worked. _I have to stop asking Raditz for favors. Already, he's done too much. If this keeps up, I'll be too indebted to him to be able to part ways with him. And I have to do that soon. Today, if possible. I can't risk him finding out about me. At some point I'm going to have to find my way home. Not only by traveling back to Earth, but also back to Age 793. Can't do that with him sticking to me like glue. So... The plan. Find transportation off this world – come to think, I don't even know _what_ world this is... Okay, _first_ find out what world this is, _then_ find a way off. Then figure out how to get back to Earth within the next seventeen months. Find the dragonballs. Wish myself back to my time. Defeat those aliens that attacked Capsule Corporation. And then find the dragonballs _again_ and wish everyone back. Yea. That'll work..._ She sighed. _Easier said than done..._

A light tapping on the door interrupted her string of thoughts. "Bulla?" came Radtiz's voice from the other side.

With only a towel wrapped around her and a lockless door separating the two of them, Bra suddenly felt a little nervous. "Yea?"

"I have acquired an outfit for you. It isn't much and it may be a little big, but I hope it's suitable."

Cautiously, Bra slid the door to the side a few inches, using it to shield her nakedness from Raditz's view. She peered through the crack between the door and the wall and found that the taller man had politely averted his gaze while chivalrously holding the small stack of clean clothing towards her. Bra snaked a hand through the small space and accepted the fresh attire.

"Thank you," the blunette said as she slid the door back into place.

She heard Raditz take a few steps away from the wash room door, followed by the sound of the mattress springs of the bed compress under his weight as he sat down on it. The girl turned her attention to the clothes, unfolding them. They were very plain, but looked as if they would serve their purpose well. The pants were dark brown, long in the leg, a little baggy, but had an elastic-like material sewn into the waist. The shirt was light purple, short-sleeved, and also a little on the large side. He had also managed to find her a fresh pair of socks. _Good thing, too, cuz I don't think mine will dry anytime soon._

Bra dressed quickly – fortunately, her undergarments were only a little damp and would soon dry. As she pulled the new shirt over her head, she noticed that it smelled a little strange. She wasn't surprised by this as she wasn't sure where exactly Raditz had acquired the clothing. She only hoped that the knowledge of their origins wouldn't be something that would make her skin crawl. The musty smell bothered her enough that she dug a bottle of lilac perfume from her backpack and spritzed it generously on herself.

Once dressed, the halfling returned to the previous task of washing and drying her clothes. She did her best to wring the water out of her two shirts. The tank top had been cleaned well enough; there was only a small spot of blood that wouldn't rinse out, but all traces of the salve was gone. The t-shirt, however, was a different story. The blood stains were too extensive to wash away. She eyed the trash bin and was tempted to toss the ruined garment. The thought of discarding one of her favorite shirts saddened her. But then she realized that she'd be better off holding onto it anyway. Though she doubted that anyone would bother with the shirt, she couldn't risk leaving her DNA evidence behind. If anyone was so inclined to take a sample, and then test it, they would inevitably find that she was genetically related to the Prince of All Saiyans, Vegeta. She couldn't have that. She gathered up her her shorts and leggings, which were still dry, and crammed them into her backpack.

The blue-haired girl emerged from the wash room, a towel still wrapped around her head, her damp clothing in one hand, her backpack in the other. She set her bag down near the wash room door as she looked for somewhere where she could lay out her two shirts and her set of socks to dry. From his recumbent position on the bed, Raditz watched her as she scanned the room. His attention on her left her feeling awkward.

Seeing nowhere to set her garments and wishing to break the uncomfortable silence, Bra finally asked, "Is there anywhere I can put these while they dry?"

Raditz rose from the bed and held his hand out. "Allow me."

Uncertain what he was about to do, the blunette reluctantly handed her clothing to him. With a flare of ki that caused the clothes to flutter from the surge of energy, all the remaining moisture evaporated from them. The act took only the span of a couple moments to complete before Raditz settle his ki and handed the items back to her with a satisfied grin. Bra accepted them. _Well, I could've done that,_ she thought wryly.

The teenager stuffed her belongings into her bag with everything else. Raditz sat back down on the bed, a little disappointed that he had failed to impress her with his demonstration of his ki. Her nonchalance towards the ability told him that she must be familiar with individuals who could manipulate their life energy. A very interesting fact. _Perhaps that is why she had no fear of those two men in the diner,_ he guessed. As the girl closed her pack, she started to put her plan into action, starting with step one.

"So, what planet are we on anyway?" she inquired.

Raditz quirked an eyebrow. "You don't know what planet you're on? How did you end up here if you don't even know where _here_ is?"

_Here we go with the questions..._ she inwardly groaned. _What do I tell him?_

Vaguely, Bra answered, "I wasn't sent here of my own volition. I was attacked, if you couldn't tell earlier. I need to get back home. But I need to know where I am before I can plot a course to my planet."

The older saiyan nodded in understanding. "I see."

There was a pause in the conversation. After a few moments of silence, the girl snapped impatiently, "So are you going to tell me, or what?"

"This is Frieza Planet number 74. _**Ushig**_to the natives. Also known as 'Aphis' in galactic standard.

Unfortunately, this meant little to Bra at the moment. But at the very least, she had a starting point. _All I have to do is find the galactic coordinates for this planet and with Earth's coordinates, I can program a route home._

"What planet do you come from?" Raditz's question interrupted her thoughts.

The demi-saiyan's eyes widened a fraction. She wasn't prepared for a direct interrogation. "That's not something I can really divulge right now."

"Why not?"

"I just can't."

"Can't? Or won't?"

"Both," she asserted. _Why is he being so adamant? Can't he just take 'no' for an answer?_

Raditz scowled. "Why not?"

"I just can't."

"You don't trust me?" he accused.

"It's not that," she murmured. She sighed. "There are certain things I just can't talk about, alright? There are things I know... information I have... that I have to safeguard... for my protection..." ...a_nd yours,_ she amended in the privacy of her thoughts.

A quiet growl of frustration escaped Raditz's throat. The tip of his tail twitched irritably. He couldn't understand why the girl was being so secretive. _What could she possibly be unable to speak of? What is she afraid of? Is someone after her?_ he wondered. He wanted answers from her, so he could help her, he realized. _But how can I do so if she will not confide in me?_ Since she refused to reveal where she had come from, he would try another angle.

Through gritted teeth, he demanded, "Fine. Then at least tell me who attacked you."

With the question of her origin deflected, Bra relaxed slightly. "Honestly, I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"No. Not their names. Not where they came from. Not even what race they are. All I know is that there were three of them; two men and a woman. Their skin colors were various shades of purple and they wore sleek, black body armor. That's all." She paused. Talk of the aliens had reminded her of what they had robbed from her. "And that they killed my father, my brother, many of my friends, and quite possibly my mother and grandparents," she added solemnly.

Raditz rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I see. And you are in a hurry to return home so that you might be able to avenge your kin."

Bra nodded and choked out, "Yea."

The teen tried to control her composure. She didn't want to break down in front of the saiyan man. She felt her nose start to tingle with the tell-tale signs that her eyes were going to betray her by forming tears. Although she felt the moisture begin to form in her eyes, she successfully held them at bay.

Raditz continued to ponder her predicament. He clearly understood the desire for revenge. Once upon a time, he had had comrades other than Prince Vegeta and Nappa, comrades who had come to be like brethren to him during his younger years. When he had learned that their deaths were dealt by Lord Frieza's own hand, the need for vengeance had consumed him. Unfortunately, he knew he was far too weak to do anything about it. He figured that his best bet for avenging his fallen comrades lie with Prince Vegeta. But that day was still a long ways away. Even the prince was nowhere near the strength needed to overthrow the lizard tyrant. Raditz decided that since he couldn't have his own justice just yet, he could at least help the girl obtain hers.

"Very well then. Even though I have yet to gain enough of your trust to confide in me, I will do my best to assist you in your quest to return to your world so that you may vanquish your enemies," he vowed.

The blunette's eyes met his obsidian ones. _Shit. This isn't what I wanted him to do. I shouldn't have said anything. I don't want him to feel responsible for me or anything. I need to get away from him! I've already come close to screwing things up. I was lucky that he didn't believe me when I let it slip that he'll die by a namekian's hand. I know that my luck won't last much longer if I don't get rid of him soon. So... How to fix this... How to fix this..._

Bra remembered their earlier conversation about how she would go about procuring transportation off of this world. He had offered to help her find a way that wouldn't result with her being taken advantage of. _That's what I'll do,_ she plotted._ I'll accept his offer for help, to find me a ride off this planet. And that's it. No more. From there, we go our own ways._

Although Bra knew that accepting further help from Raditz was against her original plans, she reluctantly accepted his assistance yet again.

* * *

**Story Notes:  
**_Aphis_ – from _aphid_.


	7. Lesson Seven

**Author's Note:** Huge apologies for the delay in the posting of this chapter. My husband and I very recently (and very unexpectedly) moved. Now that we are mostly settled in, I'm trying to get back into the routine of writing and posting. The next few posts may still be slow in coming (not as slow as this one was I hope!) so please bear with me. Until then, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Seven  
__Accept What Cannot Be Changed_

_ Although I experienced a childhood that was very pampered and filled with privileges unknown to most children, my youth did not come without its own challenges. Unknown to the world around me, I was the daughter of a powerful alien prince. While I appeared like a normal human, I was born with traits inherited from my saiyan father. It was these characteristics that occasionally made me feel alienated (for lack of a better word) from my fully human counterparts._

_ My strength and endurance had garnered the interests of others from time to time during my youth. But it was my appetite that drew the most attention, the most skepticism, the most ridicule. In my earliest years, my ability to pack away pounds of food at a time seemed normal to me. After all, many of the people in my life at the time were also saiyan-born and ate just as voraciously as I did. It was not until my insistence of enrolling in a public school at the age of eight that I became aware of how different my eating habits truly were._

_ During that first week of public school, I had bought my lunch just like most of the other kids did. I don't know why, but I barely took notice that everyone else only bought _one_ tray of food with _one_ serving of each item while I bought multiple trays packed with multiple servings. But I had become quickly aware of their eyes on me and the whispers among the other kids, but I didn't understand the attention. What did they find so fascinating? Only at the end of the week did I discover the rumors about me._

_ They said that I was a glutton. That I would be fat by the end of the semester. That I only ate so much because I was a spoiled rich kid who could afford it._

_ They said that I must be starved at home. That I ate as much as I could in school because it was all I would have to eat all day._

_ They said that I was disgusting. That they couldn't believe I actually liked the taste of the garbage the schools served as food. That eating so much of it was sickening._

_ They said that I must have an eating disorder. That I probably went to the bathroom to purge everything I had just eaten. That I couldn't be so thin if I didn't throw it all back up._

_ They said that I was just doing it for attention. That I felt I wasn't already getting noticed enough, being an heir to the Capsule Corporation fortune and all._

_ It was hard enough being the new kid in school. Harder still being a famous new kid. But hardest of all was being the source of gossip and ridicule. As I sat during my lunch period that day, reflecting on all the hurtful things I had heard that morning, I was so upset that I couldn't bring myself to eat anything. Of course, the sudden change in my eating habits didn't go unnoticed and I drew even more speculation and gossip. _

_ I went home that day feeling so miserable and humiliated that I was ready to quit public school and return to having a private tutor. I felt so ashamed of myself that I couldn't bring myself to use the main entrance of my home and face the secretaries and security guards posted in the front foyer. So, with my face hung shamefully, I slowly shuffled around the dome towards the entrance to the family wing. This also brought me directly into the kitchen where I was sure that Grammy would be baking something with fervor. Having skipped lunch all together, my stomach felt rather ravenous and for a moment I felt my spirits lifted by the thought of one of Grammy's cakes. But then I was immediately reminded of the turmoil I felt over my eating habits which I had recently discovered were beyond unusual._

_ As I entered the kitchen, I found that Grammy was absent and in her place was Daddy. His head was poked inside the refrigerator as he rummaged through its contents for something to add to what he had already stacked onto the counter behind him. The mini mountain of assorted foods he had assembled was another visual reminder of what I was beginning to consider was my freakish nature. I had no desire to be subjected to this representation of my dilemma, so I averted my gaze away from the small buffet that Daddy considered a snack while quickly skirting around him. Or at least I tried to._

_ Without lifting his head from his task, Daddy inquired around a mouthful of food, "What's bothering you, girl?"_

_ I stopped in my tracks knowing that I would be reprimanded if I ignored him. "I... I..."_

_ I didn't know how to express my humiliation in words. I didn't know how to tell him what had happened without my throat tightening up. As a matter of fact, I couldn't bear standing in his presence, just _thinking_ about it without tears welling up in my eyes. _

_ Of course, I was too upset to stop my emotions from leaking through our kinship bond. And I'm sure the sudden assault that the scent of my tears was having on his nose didn't help matters. A microsecond before the first salty drop spilled down my cheek, Daddy had lifted his head from the refrigerator and met my eyes. He was like a deer in headlights, eyes wide with trepidation as he registered that I was on the brink of an emotional crisis that he'd be forced to clean up. _

_ But I was always able to look past the part of Daddy that feared the female emotional roller coaster. I could see the concern deep within his dark orbs. It was that concern that tipped me over the edge. My lips trembled and with a hitch in my breath, I shamefully buried my face into my hands and let my sorrow overwhelm me. Only a moment after, I felt Daddy close the distance between us and lay a reassuring hand on my back. I fell into his loose embrace - what he considered to be a comforting gesture – and had a good cry._

_ When he felt that I was done, he asked again, "What is this all about?"_

_ Through a few lingering hiccups, I mumbled, "I'm a f-freak, Daddy."_

_ I felt his concern become mingled with a hint of confusion and an increase in protectiveness. "Who said that to you?" he demanded._

_ "N-no one. Not really. But the other kids... Th-they said..." I couldn't repeat everything I had heard without growing upset again._

_ He waited patiently, but when I didn't elaborate, he gently urged, "They said what?"_

_ Instead, I answered his question with another one. "Daddy... Why do I have to eat the way I do?"_

_ "The way you do?" he asked with perplexity. "Why? Is there something wrong with your table etiquette?"_

_ "No, no. I mean... Why do I have to eat so much? Why can't I eat less? Is there something I can do differently so that I don't need to eat so much?"_

_ Daddy's perplexity shifted into suspicion. "What is this idea stemming from? What happened to you today?"_

_ I buried my face a little deeper into his chest and mumbled, "The other kids at school... They said a lot of things about the way I eat, how much I eat. Really mean and hurtful things, Daddy. I don't want them to make fun of me anymore."_

_ "So you want to starve yourself to save your pride?" he accused. _

_ I could feel his anger growing, but I knew that it wasn't directed at me. He was angry at the image of a horde of nameless, faceless children passing judgment on his little girl for doing nothing more than being herself. He was even more upset that their actions would prompt his precious daughter to inflict harm upon herself. I didn't want him feeling that way because I knew that Daddy would seek justice, no matter what taboos he breached in the process._

_ "I don't really want to starve myself. I just don't want to draw so much attention."_

_ Daddy's anger lessened to a simmer. "I will not allow you to put yourself through malnourishment because a bunch of worthless brats feel the need to devalue you by attacking what is natural to you. You are a saiyan and you have nutritional needs that they cannot possibly fathom. It is none of their business or concern how much or how little you consume."_

_ "But I don't want them to say mean things about me anymore. How can I do that if I don't change how much I eat?"_

_ A small growl of annoyance escaped Daddy's throat. "As much as you wish you could, there are some things that you will never be able to change," he admonished. "And your saiyan physiology is one of those things. Not even the dragonballs can change your genetic makeup. You will always require a large caloric intake. Nothing will change that fact. The sooner you accept that reality, the wiser you will be."_

_ I conceded Daddy's point. But still... "So, what can I do so that I'm not drawing their attention?"_

_ He didn't have an exact answer for me. Instead, he said, "Another thing you cannot change is the fact that you are very intelligent and resourceful. I have no doubt that you will figure it out."_

_ While I wasn't very confident in myself at that moment, I took solace in Daddy's words and I nodded._

_ To lighten the mood, he added, "And yet another unchangeable fact is that you are far superior in strength compared to those who would try to bring you shame and ridicule. Give the next child who dares to speak ill of you a good beating and no doubt their fear of you will put an end to these accusations."_

_ A smile broke across my face. Leave it to Daddy to solve a problem with violence._

_ "Daddy! If I beat up some poor kid, then that will only make the rumors worse!"_

_ Although I felt better, I also knew that Daddy was right; there were certain things I would never be able to change. Denying this fact would only make dealing with the unchangeable difficult and unpleasant. By accepting the things that could not be changed, I could learn, I could adapt, and I would grow stronger._

_~from The Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Age 759, Second Galactic Quarter, Day 37 (Approx. 5 May 759 Earth Time)  
Location: Frieza Planet 74, a.k.a. Planet Aphis

Bra stayed close by Raditz while he checked out of the hotel. The taller saiyan spoke to the desk clerk in his native aphidian language while they went through the process. This shut Bra out of the conversation, but it didn't bother her in the slightest. She had checked in to and out of many hotels in her lifetime. This one couldn't possibly any different.

Her attention and concern was placed on the hotel's other guests and their activities. She had thought that the hotel lobby was crowded earlier that day when she had arrived. But it was twice as busy now with the afternoon rolling into the evening. The dealings between the hotel's paying clients and those that were lingering around in hopes of selling other services had increased as well. Bra had no desire to get mixed up in it. She refrained from making eye contact with any of the alien men and women who were perusing their options.

Raditz was done with the desk clerk soon enough and he and Bra were quickly on their way. The blue-haired girl was relieved once they were outside again. The crowded lobby had felt stifling and all the bodies crammed in there together had made the air inside feel like a sauna. Outside, it was just as warm, but a cool breeze tickled her skin and lifted her spirits. She was delighted by the thought that she would soon be off this world and on her way home, even if she was several decades in the past.

The duo was quiet as they navigated the streets and alleys as they made their way to the spaceport. Bra had no idea what route to take to get there, so she relied completely on Raditz to lead her there.

The walk took only a few minutes before the scenery abruptly changed. When they rounded the final corner, Bra was amazed to see that they had essentially come to what appeared to be the edge of the city. The land was void of any structure for several hundred yards. Beyond the undeveloped space, she could see a cluster of buildings that were the polar opposite of the poverty stricken homes and storefronts behind her. From here, she could see that the structures opposite the empty, dry-cracked ground were built with advanced technology and superior materials.

Surrounding the outer edge of the empty lot there was no fence to keep out undesirables, Bra noticed. Instead, there were concrete posts erected every twenty feet to mark the boundaries of this zone, but there was nothing in between them to serve as a barrier. It was as if the posts were there to taunt the locals, to dare them to cross the invisible line. Yet, none of the residents came near the posts. Apparently, it was an unspoken and well-ingrained law that unauthorized individuals were unwelcome and any trespassers were dealt with. Harshly.

"This is the military center on this planet," Raditz explained as he passed between two of the posts. "The only way onto and off of this world is through here."

Bra hesitated before following him. As a soldier, he had a reason to be on military property. But she was not and had no business there. Would she be allowed to follow him? Or would she violate another law that she was not yet fully aware of? What punishment awaited her if her presence was not welcome?

When Raditz noticed that Bra had fallen back, he turned and asked her, "What's wrong?"

"Are you sure that it's okay for me to follow you? You won't get in trouble with your superiors by bringing me onto your base, will you?"

At first, the saiyan looked a little startled by her question, but then a cocky grin spread across his lips. "Of course it's fine. I wouldn't have suggested it if it wasn't."

Raditz wasn't initially sure how to respond to the girl's inquiry. So rarely did anyone ever show any concern for his well-being, let alone verbally express it, that he was skeptical that she was being sincere. But when he saw the genuine worry dancing in her eyes, he allowed his guard to drop. He found that he was pleased by her concern for him. And he was amused by her display.

Bra chewed on her bottom lip as she weighed his promise. Finally, she put faith in his words and crossed the barrier. "Okay. I'll trust you. But don't blame me if you get yelled at."

Raditz let out a bark of laughter. Her terminology was so light-hearted and her idea of punishment was so mild. _She truly is sheltered!_ he surmised. _To think that the worst I ever have to worry about is a tongue lashing! If only she knew!_

The teenager gave him a quizzical look, uncertain of the cause of his mirth. She didn't bother asking as she was sure that she didn't really want to know. But a small blush warmed her cheeks as she theorized that his merriment was at her expense. So, she averted her gaze and remained silent as he led them across the small expanse towards the central spaceport.

Although the saiyan male was slightly in front of and to the right of his charge, he kept glancing discretely at her from the corner of his eye. Conveniently, her position in relation to his own put her upwind from him. He smelled the sour heat of her embarrassment and wondered what he had done to elicit that reaction. But the further they walked and the further they put themselves away from the moment of her discomfort, the quicker her embarrassment faded.

Soon enough, the wind carried an unusual fragrance towards Raditz. It was flowery, yet artificial. He knew immediately that it was a false scent, one she had deliberately applied to her person. _But why?_ he pondered. _Is this yet another measure of deception? Is she so frightened to reveal herself that she must disguise her scent too?_

Eventually, Raditz grew accustomed to the flowery fragrance and could reach his sense of smell past it. Beneath the false odor, Raditz could start to smell the girl's natural scent. He had not been able to detect her true scent earlier that morning with all the grime and soot covering her body. He took several shallow breaths, trying to be discreet while drawing in her scent, and found that hers was a pleasant one, feminine and warm. She smelled of youth and vibrancy. It reminded him of the smell of a fresh breeze blowing through a field of tall grasses on a warm and sunny day. It made him think of his home on Planet Vegeta, lost so many years ago.

While relishing in Bra's natural scent, the saiyan could just barely pick up on other scents lingering on her skin. These odors were very faded, far removed from their sources after all the ordeals she had gone through thus far, but they gave him an idea of her home life. He could detect something sweet, a pastry based baked good. It told of a stable life at home where she was loved and well cared for. He got the impression that there was at least one very prominent female figure in her life.

And then there was the much more subtle scent on her, the masculine one. It was so faded that Raditz had almost missed it. _Could that scent belong to one of her male kin?_ he wondered._ Or is the owner of the scent a suitor?_ He caught himself feeling vaguely jealous from that latter thought. He realized that he was being irrational and foolish for allowing such a reaction. _I barely know this girl. I do not even know her true name. Why should I feel any amount of possession over her?_

Still, the masculine scent bothered him. There was something familiar about it, yet so foreign to him that he couldn't place it. Perhaps if the odor wasn't so faded or broken, he'd be able to identify it. But having no such luck, he pushed the issue aside.

Although Raditz was trying to be as discreet as possible with his observations of her, Bra was very much aware that she had his undivided attention. She felt her discomfort growing exponentially under his scrutiny. But she incorrectly guessed the reason for his attention. _Why is he getting so curious?_ she fretted. _What's he trying to figure out? Am I doing something that might give something away? No... I'm not _doing_ anything... So what is he-_

The halfling's eyes widened a fraction when she realized what he was doing. _He's trying to smell me! Because I won't tell him anything, he thinks he can just go all sniff-sniff on me!? What a creeper! Good thing I had that shower... sort of. If he could pick up certain scents, especially Daddy's, then I'd sooo bagged..._ To be safe, Bra fell back a few paces behind her escort and drifted to his other side, putting herself downwind from him. If Raditz noticed – which she suspected that he did – he didn't say anything about it.

They passed by several buildings before Raditz finally led Bra to a large, circular building. Bra noticed that the saiyan's countenance had shifted as they approached the facility. He was no longer as laid back as he once was. He had become very tense, but not nervously so. He stood up straighter, his shoulders back, and his chin held high. He had an air of authority and stoic confidence. His attitude warned others not to cross him. This was his business demeanor, Bra realized.

The guards posted out front allowed them entry after the saiyan transmitted his identification from his scouter to theirs. They spared Bra a long, curious glance, but they didn't question her presence on their base. Raditz led the blunette down a twisting labyrinth of corridors. They passed many doors and several soldiers. They exchanged no dialogue with anyone they crossed paths with, nor with each other. Bra began to wonder how large the building truly was and how long it would take them to get to their destination.

Finally, the pair entered a wide open docking bay. There were dozens of space pods resting inside individual landing pads, evenly distributed throughout the bay. The sight amazed her. Sure, her mother and grandfather had built a number of interstellar space vehicles over the years. But those had totaled no more than ten individual vessels over the years. Now, right before her eyes, were space pods as abundant as there were grains of sand on a beach. They sat there as if space travel was a normal and everyday thing – and she supposed, that out here in the depths of the galaxy, it was.

A technician approached the duo. He was elderly; his pale skin was wrinkled and his hair had lost all its original color. He wore a uniform that was an odd combination of armor and lab coat. Bra wasn't sure how the shoulder pads weren't cumbersome while doing repairs on any of the vessels around her. But she supposed that the technician was likely a supervisor and delegated the physical and menial tasks to his subordinates.

"Welcome back, soldier Raditz," the tech greeted. "Your pod has been cleansed, repaired, and refueled. It's ready for your departure. I hope your stay on Aphis was a pleasant one."

The saiyan nodded only barely enough to be seen and refused to make eye contact with the technician. Bra quickly picked up on the fact that this behavior reinforced the military status and relationship between the two men; the technician was far inferior to the soldier even though it was the soldier who relied on the technician's intelligence and knowledge of the space pods to keep them in working order. Raditz was barely acknowledging the tech, she noted.

The elderly alien led them through the maze of space pods until he finally stopped at one in particular. The demi-saiyan saw no difference between this pod and all the others. She wondered if there even was a difference. But it was obvious that there was, otherwise the tech wouldn't have stopped in front of it. Bra wasn't sure how, but the technician _knew_ that this was Raditz's personal pod.

"I hope it is to your standards," he groveled.

Raditz inspected the vessel; first the outside and then, after opening the hatch, the inside. "It is satisfactory," he eventually answered flatly.

The tech nodded. "Very good. I'm glad to hear it."

"I shall require a second pod," the saiyan replied in a bored tone.

The elderly alien's red eyes bugged out of his head. "Another pod? I wasn't aware of this request! Has this been authorized?"

Finally, Raditz actually looked down upon the short, old man. "_I_ am authorizing it. Right now. Prepare a second pod for departure this instant."

The tech shriveled under Raditz's command. "Yes, sir. Absolutely. I believe I have a spare available. Right this way. Please."

Bra felt bad for the old alien as she and Raditz followed him a short distance to another pod. The technician seemed nice enough; eager to please and quick to follow orders. She didn't feel that he needed such harsh treatment. She had seen this type of supervisor/supervisee relationship many times within the inner workings of Capsule Corporation, and while her mother had been strong and demanding, she was also a sympathetic and compassionate leader. Raditz was, by contrast, cold and quick to the point.

Raditz inspected the second pod and after he was satisfied he replied to the technician, "This will do. You are dismissed."

Without a word, the elderly alien scurried away as quickly as he could with his aching joints. Bra wanted to call after him to extend to him her thanks, but thought against it. The technician was gone too quickly for her to have done so anyway.

The saiyan turned to his female companion. "Are you familiar at all with this class of interstellar vehicle?"

Bra hesitated and feigned uncertainty. "Well... Let me take a look at it..."

Raditz stepped aside and gave the girl some space to crawl into the pilot's seat inside the vessel. Bra's eyes darted among the controls. _Yea, this is all very similar to the upscaled control panel in Capsule Pods 3 and 4,_ she noted. _I can definitely pilot this thing. But I can't let Raditz know that I'm so familiar with it. He'll want to know how I learned so much about the private military space pods of the Planet Trade Organization._

"I think I'll be able to drive it," the blunette said with false speculation. "But what do I have to do? Is there like a search option where I can look up my home world's coordinates? Do I plug that into the computer and then put the engine on some sort of auto-pilot or something?"

Raditz blinked at her with a bit of perplexity. _She is able to correctly guess the basic concept of the pod's operational programs, yet seems so ignorant of them at the same time. Was it a lucky guess? Are the pods so easy to understand? Or does she know more than she is letting on?_

As if to answer his questions, Bra began poking at a few random buttons. When one particular button caused a strange mist to begin filling the inside of the pod, she panicked and began frantically pressing other buttons to cease the emission. With a heavy sigh, Raditz calmly reached inside and pressed the correct button and the mist stopped. _Evidently, she must have had a lucky guess,_ he thought.

"What was that?" Bra asked.

"Nothing dangerous," Raditz reassured her. "That was merely a cleaning agent. Usually activated when the occupant is roused from stasis as he or she approaches his or her destination."

The demi-saiyan breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay. So tell me how to use this thing."

"First, we'll have to register the systems to your biochemistry."

Raditz assisted Bra through the process. Bra was a little nervous, not knowing what, if anything, would be revealed about her by syncing the pod to her biochemistry. _Will it be able to detect what race I belong to? Will it display the results for Raditz to see? Will the information be accessible by him or someone else?_ But she had no time to get answers to these questions; Raditz had placed her hand on a scanner and the device instantly activated. A simple reading of her palm was all that was needed to record her vital signs and, to her surprise, the wavelength of her ki. To Bra's relief, no information about her race or heritage was recorded or displayed.

"This space pod will only operate for you now that it has been synced to your energy signal," the saiyan male explained.

Raditz did his best to show her how to use the navigation system from his awkward position leaning into the pod while she remained seated in the pilot's chair. Bra barely paid much attention to Raditz's instructions, only listening enough to notice how inadequate his instructions actually were. It was fortunate that she didn't need the crash course; she already knew perfectly well how to operate the machine. But to pull off her ruse, she needed him to think that she needed his help.

"Okay, so I enter the name of my home world here," the teenager asked as she pointed to a space in the pod's holo-screen.

"Yes."

Bra began to type, or at least, she attempted to, but from Raditz crouching position, she knew he could easily read whatever entry she keyed into the terminal. "Um... can you stand back a bit? I can't quite see the full screen with you leaning in like that."

Raditz withdrew from the pod's open hatch. He was actually relieved to stand back up to his full height. His legs and back were growing sore from leaning over for such a prolonged period of time. Instead, he watched as Bra diverted her full attention to her task. Her eyes darted across the holo-screen – now out of his line of sight – while her fingers danced across the mini-keyboard. As he watched her, he couldn't help but notice how natural she appeared as she worked with the computer, like it was an extension of her hands and mind.

Bra was oblivious to Raditz's attentive gaze as she began her search for her planet's coordinates. Her heart thumped in her chest with the hope that she was only a few keystrokes away from being on her way home. She could feel her fingers shake with adrenaline as she typed. The very first entry she put into the system's search program was **EARTH**. After a moment of calculation, the computer returned with the phrase **COORDINATES NOT FOUND**.

Immediately, Bra's heart fell. _How can there be no match? Earth is there... somewhere... It can't have just vanished!_ Then she realized her error. _Duh! On Earth, we call it Earth. It has a different galactic name!_ With renewed hope, she typed in **SOLAR 3**. Again, the program responded with **COORDINATES NOT FOUND**. She tried **SOLAR THREE**. **SOL 3**.** SOL THREE**. **SOLAR SYSTEM THREE**. And many more combinations of the above. All of her searches came up negative. Her hope had been crushed further and further into smaller pieces with every rejection. _It's not in here... I'm not gonna be able to get back home,_ she feared as tears threatened to form.

Seeing the crestfallen look on her face and sensing her growing distress, Raditz quietly asked, "What's wrong?"

Bra struggled to gain control over the tremble in her lips before she answered. "My home world... It's not here."

This alarmed Raditz. "'Not here?'" he repeated. "Has the search program revealed that it's been destroyed?" Knowing that Bra's family had been attacked prior to her exodus, it was highly probable that her attackers had destroyed her planet.

The blunette slowly shook her head. "No. No. Not like that. The pod doesn't have my planet's coordinates in its databank. I-I don't know how I'll get home now..."

Raditz was quiet while Bra fell into despair. He sympathized with the girl. To have had her family murdered, to have been sent against her will to another world, and then to have discovered that she was stranded in the depths of space without the ability to return home. He understood her predicament far too well. It was this understanding that prompted the next words to spill from his mouth without having stopped to consider them before they were out.

"I could take you to a planet – an information supercenter – where the coordinates you need might be found."

Bra's watery eyes snapped up and met his. "You... you would do that?"

Raditz nodded. "Yes. Unfortunately, I won't be able to take you directly there. I have an itinerary of stops that I must adhere to. My supervisors will not appreciate a deviation from my schedule. But my mission log will take me close to a planet that might have the information you need."

The slim possibility that what the saiyan said was true lifted the teenager's spirits. She had felt so lost only a moment ago and now there was still a chance to return home. This possibility put a huge snag in her plans – the plan to part ways with Raditz and the plan to get back to Earth as quickly as possible. But what other choice did she have? Stick around on this lousy planet and become like one of the women here? No thank you.

"If it's not too much trouble..." Bra answered. "You really have done more than enough already. And believe me, I appreciate it so much. You really don't mind my tagging along? Your bosses won't be mad or anything, right?"

"Don't worry about it," Raditz assured her. "It's perfectly fine."

A timid and nervous grin touched the blunette's lips. "Alright, then. Where to?"

Raditz pressed a button on his scouter. A moment later, Bra was surprised to find that a set of coordinates had been transmitted to the navigation system in her pod, sent from her companion's scouter. _Amazing,_ she marveled.

"Those are the coordinates for my next destination," Raditz explained. "All you have to do is engage the engine and the pod will do the rest. I will be only a few minutes behind you. When you land, stay with the pod and I will find you."

"Okay."

"Also, once you have exited this planet's atmosphere, your pod should automatically put you into stasis. Don't be alarmed when this happens. You'll be reawakened once you fall into orbit around our destination planet."

"'kay."

With that, Bra pressed the button that closed the latch of her space pod. She looked through the blueish glass panel and saw Raditz's face staring back at her. She felt nervous about the launch – not the launch itself, but what awaited her once she reached this mysterious world she was being sent to. Bra turned her attention to the computer terminal and started the launch sequence. Buckles engaged around her torso and across her lap. The engine came to life with a sound so soft, like a quiet whisper. And then, all of a sudden, she felt herself hurtling upwards through the air. G-forces pushed her back down into her seat. She was suddenly thankful for all the sessions in her father's gravity simulation room. Otherwise, the pressure would surely have been too much for her.

Too soon, the planet's sky gave way to the inky blackness of space and the force of gravity subsided. The cabin began to fill with a fog as the pod's sleeping agents were activated. A thought came to Bra's mind just then. Quickly, before the pull of sleep could drag her down into unconsciousness, she tinkered with her smart watch. With the calender feature, she programmed the amount of time she had remaining before she absolutely had to be back on Earth. The task was simple, but with the sudden and growing grogginess, it took her a few moments longer than it normally would have. But she successfully completed her task before the chemicals in the fog knocked her out.

The countdown on her watch read: 01 Year 04 Months 26 Days

* * *

Raditz clicked a command on his scouter as Bra shut the hatch to her pod. High above, the ceiling split open, revealing the Aphisian sky. He looked down through the glass of the girl's pod to find her looking back up at him before she averted her attention towards the launch sequence. A few moments later, the engine purred to life. Another few moments, and the pod was propelled skyward in the span of a blink of an eye. It was quickly out of sight.

The saiyan wandered over to his own pod. He settled himself inside, trying to gain comfort, even though he would soon be unconscious and, therefore, unaware of any discomfort he might incur during his flight. The pods felt so small compared to his large frame; he again wished that Lord Frieza might request the pod technicians to design a larger model. For the umpteenth time, he wondered, _How is it that Nappa manages to cram himself into these things?"_

As Raditz set the navigation system of his own pod to his next destination, he questioned himself, wondering if he had done the right thing by offering Bra his continued assistance. _It is bad enough that I will catch fire for the unauthorized acquisition of an additional pod,_ he knew. _I will most certainly be punished for allowing a civilian female straggler to travel with me. _

But the damage had already been done. The saiyan initiated the launch sequence and a moment later, he was flying through the atmosphere and towards the empty vastness of space.

* * *

Date: Age 759 Quarter 2 Day 84  
Location: Planet Zaridaina

"...up, Bulla. Planet fall in eighteen minutes. Wake up, Bulla. Planet fall in seventeen minutes. Wake up, Bulla. Planet fall in-"

Bra slapped at the control panel blindly with a lethargic hand, finally managing to find the right button to disengage the annoying computerized female voice. Her body felt so heavy and weak, as if she had been drugged. She slowly realized the truth to that thought; she actually had been drugged in order to have been put into stasis. The effects were wearing off, very quickly, she noted. Already, she could feel her energy flowing into her limbs and her mind growing more aware.

The blunette's eyes fluttered open. Everything still looked a little blurry. She rubbed her bleary eyes, willing her surroundings to come into focus. Gradually, they did. The first thing she did once she could see straight was to run a systems check on the computer terminal. Everything seemed to be functioning properly. The display indicated that she had eleven more minutes until she landed. She looked through the hatch window. In front of her, a beautiful green and brown world was growing in size. _No, it's growing closer,_ she realized.

The next thing Bra did, with the few minutes she had before the planet's atmosphere swallowed her, was check the calendar on her smart watch. _June 17__th__,_ she read the date to herself. _One year, three months, and thirteen days left._ In the blink of an eye, she had lost forty-three days. This knowledge cemented into reality how short her time truly was. If she couldn't acquire Earth's coordinates soon enough, then the limitations of space travel would prove to be very problematic.

The pod suddenly jerked, pulling Bra's attention. Although the turbulence was minor – she had felt worse in airplanes on Earth – she still found that she was suddenly fearful that she would crash land. Looking out through the window, she found that she had already entered the planet's atmosphere and all she could see below her was endless, microscopic landscape. She braced herself inside the pod even though the straps still secured to her seat. And then, to make matters worse, the pod unexpectedly began to rotate. No longer was she facing downward towards the ground; now she was facing up, towards the sky. But her trajectory remained the same, hurling towards the planet's surface. _The only thing worse than falling forwards, is falling backwards,_ she grimaced as her stomach rolled.

The only thing the teenager could do was watch the computer terminal count down the time until impact. The timer ticked below the one minute mark. That last minute seemed to drag on forever as she waited for that hard crash into the ground. With every second that passed and it didn't come, her fear and trepidation escalated. Finally, two seconds before the timer ran out, the pod came to a sudden halt. She had expected a hard impact. Surprisingly, she barely felt it. The seat cushioned her so well that it was like she had fallen backwards onto the mattress of her feather-bed back home.

After Bra had settled down from her anxiety and surprise, she opened the hatch to her pod. A bright, orange sun shone overhead in a light green colored sky, warming her skin. When she climbed out of her pod, she found that the spacecraft had been guided to a landing pad. There were about a dozen more landing pads around her, evenly spaced on a circular metal platform. Unlike those she had seen back in the spaceport on Planet Aphis, none of these pads were occupied, nor were they protected within a warehouse facility. These sat in the middle of a wide open field.

Just then, another space pod came down from the sky, landing fast and hard on one of the other pads. The impact was absorbed by the pad's super-absorbent material. A moment later, Raditz emerged from his pod. She crossed the short distance to meet him.

"So..." Bra drawled. "What's on the agenda?"

Raditz stretched the cramps out of his limbs before he answered. "I am to check in with the locals. This planet – Zaradaina – is a mining colony and I've been assigned to observe the natives' progress."

The teen nodded. "I see."

"Yes. It's a rather dull assignment."

Bra wasn't sure what the implication of that statement was, so she remained silent as Raditz led them away from the landing area. They soon stepped off of the metal platform and down onto a grassy terrain. The grassy field was only about a couple hundred feet wide or so before they encountered a lush forest. But this forest was unlike any forest Bra had ever seen before. The trees, at their tallest, only reached as high as her shoulders. They passed through the lavender colored flora as if they were walking through tall weeds.

The miniaturized forest seemed endless. Bra marveled at the serenity and beauty. _It's like a fairytale world_, she observed with a grin. _A tiny, tiny world._ She breathed in deeply, enjoying the untainted scent of nature – pollen and earth and fresh air. It was such a far cry from the planet she had just come from with its pungent odors of garbage and rot and polution.

The halfling was so absorbed by her surroundings that she nearly bumped into Raditz when he came to a stop. Curious, she peered around his large form to learn the reason for his sudden halt. What she saw came as yet another wonder. In front of him was a short, bipedal creature, less than half her own height, covered in short brown fur. It had a long and narrow face and the tiniest little pink hands.

"Oh! It's so cute!" Bra squealed. "What is it?"

Raditz cast an annoyed glance over his shoulder. "_He_ is a tenra," he answered flatly. "And _he_ doesn't appear to appreciate being demeaned like so."

Bra gasped, mortified. "Oh my Dende!" she blurted in human common before switching back to galactic standard to say, "I am _so_ sorry! I didn't mean to offend you!"

The tenra blinked its beady black eyes at her. Finally, he said, "All is right. No problem." To Raditz, he asked, "You see ore now?"

The saiyan nodded and the tenra turned to lead them away. Not long after, the landscape sloped upward in a steep incline. As they climbed the large hill, Bra noticed a few more of the tenra among the miniature trees, busy in whatever tasks they were engaged in. Finally, the trio crested the peak of the ridge they had been climbing towards. While Raditz and the tenra appeared to have no reaction to the sight before them, Bra was completely shocked.

The landscape in front of her was the complete opposite of the untouched and serene jungle they had just crossed. The land in front of her had been scoured of all plant life. The ground had been excavated; a gaping hole occupied the space for several miles. Thousands of the tenra were in the giant maw, all working at different stepped levels within it. Most were chipping away at the rock and soil, others were dragging chunks of rock or bags of soil out of the site. About a quarter of the distance around the circumference of the hole, there was a factory of sorts. A building that seemed large by comparison to the size of the tenra. Soft gray smoke plumed from several towers in the structure's roof.

"What is this?" the blunette gasped.

"This is one of several mines on this world," Raditz explained. "The tenra are excellent diggers and tunnelers. Their world is rich in a specific mineral that is used in many of the structures and vessels utilized by the Planet Trade Organization."

"Good dig here," the tenra said. "Many ore find here. All is right. No problem. Come, come."

The tiny creature led the two visitors around the parameter of the mine, towards the factory. During the trek, Bra couldn't keep her eyes off of the excavation site and the activities within. It broke her heart to see how they were deliberately tearing up such a beautiful place. _But that,_ she supposed,_ is the way of things... People do it all the time on Earth; sacrificing nature in the pursuit of natural resources. Still... it's such a shame..._

The blunette watched the various activities below. She began to notice a pattern; most tenra carried, pushed, or pulled undesired materials away from the mine. Several lines lead out of the pit and towards a handful of points around the parameter. But there was a smaller percentage that headed towards one particular destination – the factory. _They must be the ones carrying the ore,_ she deduced.

Finally, they reached the factory. The tenra led them inside. The air within was horrible and stifling. It was hot and humid. An acrid scent filled the air. Bra covered her nose with her hands; the air was almost unbreatheable. While Raditz showed no outward sign of his reaction to the air inside, she could tell by his shortened breaths that he, too, found the atmosphere unbearable. He was much more disciplined at hiding his discomfort. The tenra that led them, and all the others working within the building, on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed by the interior environment. They were completely used to it.

The visitors were taken through a large room meant for refining and smelting the ore. Tenra were busy with many tasks; adding fuel to the many heat sources, monitoring the equipments' temperatures, handing the raw ore, pouring the purified liquid form of the ore into molds, and other tasks. Bra watched these activities and couldn't help how dangerous and unsafe the working conditions were. There was little to protect the tenra from injury. On a few occasions, she swore she was about to watch an accident unfold, only for luck to intervene at the last moment. She knew, that at some point, that luck would run out and someone was bound to be seriously wounded. As a matter of fact, looking closely enough, she could see how some of the tenra bore scars and wounds, a testament to work-related injuries they had already suffered.

But worst of all, the teen noted, was that there were children working alongside the adult tenra. Their smaller sizes allowed them to reach within machinery, inches from moving parts that could easily crush their limbs. Some were small enough to slip their entire bodies between machines or beneath the smelting devices, putting them precariously close to the glowing red equipment.

The sight was horrible; worse than the back-breaking labor Bra had seen outside in the mine. The type of conditions within this factory had been banned on Earth centuries ago. Growing up, she had been down to the below-ground factory levels of her family's company. Capsule Corporation was clean, pristine, and the number one priority was the absolute safety of the workers. This factory here was a stark contrast to what she had grown to believe was the standard. And this place horrified her.

Eventually, they left the production room and were taken to a cargo hold. Tenra were loading heavy reams of the refined material onto three supply ships docked just outside the cargo bay doors. The reams were long, large, and very heavy as it took a couple dozen of the tenra to load each beam. Bra felt bad for them; their employers apparently saw no need to provide them with equipment as simple as power jacks to carry the ore to and fro.

"See? Many ore. More than ask. Make Frieza Lord happy," the tenra replied.

Raditz walked closer to the stacks of ore to get a closer look, to decide if the tenra had indeed surpassed their quota. Bra hung back, waiting with the tenra. The creature watched Raditz's inspection and for the first time, it appeared slightly nervous. With her troubling thoughts about the factory conditions still on her mind, Bra couldn't help but to share her concerns with the tenra.

"So... That factory back there," she began while gesturing towards the production room they had just emerged from. "Don't you think it's a little... dangerous?"

The tenra gave her a perplexed look. "Dangerous?"

"Yea. You know... not safe?"

An expression crossed the creature's face indicating that it likely had never considered that fact. "All is not right? There problem?" it asked.

"No, it's not alright," the blue-haired girl explained. "Your people are getting hurt while working. There should be changes to make sure you're safe. You should be demanding better work conditions than that."

"We ask Frieza Lord new factory?"

"Or at least to upgrade this one."

Suddenly, Raditz intervened. "What are you doing?" he demanded angrily.

The tenra cowered. Bra looked up at her escort with an inquisitive expression. _What does he mean, 'What am_ I_ doing?'_ she wondered. She didn't think she was doing anything wrong. She was just looking out for the best interest of these creatures. They were working very hard; they should, at the very least, have a safe environment to work in.

The tenra spoke up first. "All is right? No problem? Ore is good? Yes?"

Raditz shifted his piercing glare to look at the tiny alien. "Yes. Everything looks adequate. You will receive your payment within twenty-five Zaridai'i days."

The creature was relieved. "Yes. Good! All is right, no problem. Many thanks Frieza Lord."

To Bra, Raditz growled, "You. Come with me."

The taller man led the girl out through one of the cargo bay doors. Once outside, they kept going until they had put a considerable distance between themselves and the nearest tenra. During the short hike, Bra could feel trepidation building within her. She wasn't certain what the source of Raditz's irritation was. She could only wonder what it was that had gotten his tail in a knot.

Finally, he whirled around on her. "What were you thinking?" he snapped at her.

Bra immediately became defensive. "What are you talking about?"

"Why were you trying to plant ideas into his head?"

She made a wry face. "What? You mean the idea that they shouldn't have to work in such terrible conditions? What's wrong with _that_?"

"The problem with that is that Lord Frieza will never acquiesce to their requests. If you tell them that they deserve something that will never be delivered, it will stir an uprising. And the only solution to that uprising will be to send forces to subdue them back into compliance or to annihilate them completely."

Bra's eyes widened in shock. "That's terrible."

"That's reality."

She grew angry. "So... _what_? They have to spend their entire lives slaving away in the mines and the factories like that?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because they _are_ slaves. They have no choice."  
Bra became confused. "What do you mean they're slaves? You just said that they will be getting paid..."

"Just because they are being compensated doesn't mean they aren't slaves all the same."

"I still don't understand."  
"Their payment isn't a typical one; they won't be receiving money or food or protection for their labor," Raditz elaborated. "They will be receiving a manufactured chemical, something similar to a sweetener that gives them a euphoric sensation. It causes them no harm, but they have grown addicted to it. They will toil endlessly in order to acquire this substance. Lord Frieza knows this and has had no issue exploiting this fact. They are slaves to their addiction, and in turn, they are slaves to Lord Frieza."

"That is the worst thing I have ever heard," Bra whispered. "Why doesn't anyone do anything about it?"

"And what do you suppose _can_ be done about it?"

The teenager was quiet. _He's right,_ she lamented. _ What _can_ be done about it? They aren't strong enough to free themselves. No one yet is strong enough to fight Frieza on their behalf. And even _if_ they wanted to be liberated, could they handle being weaned from the chemical they've grown addicted to?_ She cast a backwards glance back towards the factory where she could see many tenra eagerly filling the cargo ships. _They are blissfully unaware of how horrible their lives are under Frieza, and they don't appear to have any desire to change it. Raditz is right. I shouldn't have tried to meddle. This is just one of those things in life that can't ever be changed._

* * *

**Story Notes:  
**Zaridaina – Malagasy for _Garden_.  
tenra – from _tenrec_, a small possum-like mammal found in the forests of Madagascar.


	8. Lesson Eight

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Eight  
Ki Sense_

_ Ki. It is the energy within an object that brings it to life. Ki is what animates all forms of life. And it is what allows these living things to interact with their surroundings. One can feel ki within his or herself, although most are not even aware that they even possess that warm glow of energy. Very few can harness their ki; even fewer are able to control it with some accuracy. And among those few who have mastered the ability to manipulate ki, only the smallest fraction are able to sense the life energy of others._

_ Sure, there are civilizations and factions out in the universe who have developed technology to detect and measure ki. But not one single device has been able to do so with any accuracy; time and again these devices have been proven to be faulty. The only way to observe, locate, and measure an individual's energy is to be able to sense it with one's own ability. It is difficult to describe the methodology of this skill as most aren't consciously aware of their own ki, let alone the ki of another individual. The best way to describe it is that one simply _knows_ that another person is there without any visual, auditory, or other sensory skill._

_ I was three years old when I began to learn the basic fundamentals of understanding ki. While I was learning how to control my own energy, I was also studying how to sense the ki of others. In particular, it was my big brother's ki that I wished to find most of all. At the time, Trunks was going through an adolescent phase where he desired his privacy. It likely had to do with the fact that, at fifteen years of age, he had entered his first serious relationship. And because seeking Trunks's attention had suddenly become taboo, the act of doing so only became all the more enticing to me. The problem was, I didn't yet know how to sense his ki._

_ But that was soon to change..._

_ On one particular afternoon, the male members of the Son family had come over for a visit. Naturally, this meant that Daddy had led them all into the backyard beyond Grammy's garden for a mini sparring tournament. I had no interest in their little competition. Instead, my attention was focused on Trunks's whereabouts as he was the only fighter who was absent. He had secluded himself somewhere on the grounds with his girlfriend and I was determined to discover where they were._

_ I spent the good portion of an hour searching every place I could think of. I checked every space in the family wing, the business wing, and the R&amp;D wing. The subterranean manufacturing center was off limits unless I was with an adult so I dared not go down there – I doubted Trunks would bring his girlfriend down there anyway. I scoured the grounds outside and still found no trace of them. That was when I resorted to seeking Daddy's help._

_ When I emerged on the back lawn, Daddy and Gohan were observing from the sidelines as Uncle Goku sparred with Goten. Without any fear of succumbing to any harm while being so close to the battle of strength only a few yards away, I strode up to my Daddy and grabbed one of his pant legs._

_ "Daddy?"_

_ Without taking his eyes away from the spar, he responded, "What is it, girl?"_

_ "D'you know where Trunks is?"_

_ He spared only a moment before he answered, "Yes."_

_ I waited patiently for him to tell me, but when he didn't elaborate, I pressed, "Where is he?"_

_ Daddy finally looked down at me, giving me an almost scolding look. "Didn't your mother tell you to leave your brother alone when he has company?"_

_ I pouted._

_ "If you want to find him," Daddy finally continued, "you shall have to do it on your own. I will not be blamed for your intrusion upon your brother's privacy. The last thing I need is to hear your mother screeching at me for contradicting her wishes."_

_ Gohan snorted at that, and Daddy gave him a scalding look._

_ "But how 'm I s'pose'ta do that?" I asked, ignoring the silent exchange._

_ "Sense his ki."_

_ "But I dunno how ta do that!"_

_ "Then learn."_

_ Gohan interjected. "Vegeta... I'm surprised. You haven't taught Bra how to sense ki yet? I taught Pan how to do it as soon as she started walking. She picked up on it real quick too."_

_ Daddy growled something I couldn't understand, but Gohan had heard it well enough and emitted a laugh that was full of mirth. Daddy grabbed my hand and with a "Let's go," led me into Grammy's garden. We settled down next to one of the three enormous fountains. As Daddy sat down upon one of the marble benches, I noticed that his cheeks were still pink with embarrassment. Looking back, I've come to realize that Gohan's comment had deliberately caused Daddy to compare his performance of fatherly duties to those of the Son family and it had hastily prompted him to rectify the perceived shortcoming that Gohan had alluded to._

_ "Take a seat, girl," Daddy instructed._

_ I climbed up onto the marble bench next to him and turned so I was facing him._

_ "You've been practicing how to sense and control your own ki, correct?"_

_ "Uh huh!"_

_ "So then I presume that it is safe to say that you are familiar with the sensation of energy."_

_ With a little less enthusiasm, I answered, "Yup."_

_ "Then you should be able to sense mine."_

_ I furrowed my brows. "I dunno how ta do that."_

_ "You most certainly do. Instead of concentrating on what _your_ ki feels like to you, concentrate on what _my _ki feels like."_

_ "I'm not sure I know how."_

_ "When you think of me, think of how I feel to you. How I smell, what I look like, what it feels like to come into physical contact with me. Think of how those things make you feel inside, what draws you to me."_

_ I absorbed his words and did my best to obey them. I found the task difficult. I closed my eyes to help myself concentrate. I thought of the many times he had held my hand or picked me up. I tried to think of how he made me feel, how he felt to me. But I couldn't quite place myself into my memories. Giving up, I opened my eyes._

_ "I can't 'member," I mumbled, ready to cry over my immediate failure._

_ But Daddy had the solution. "Come here."_

_ I scooted closer to Daddy. When I was within reach, he scooped me up and plopped me down on my lap. Immediately, I sunk into him, wrapping my arms around his middle._

_ "Now... how do I feel to you?" he asked._

_ I closed my eyes and let my senses guide me. "You're warm," I immediately noted. And he was indeed very warm. It felt as if his body heat was wrapped all around me._

_ "What else?" he prompted._

_ "Strong," I answered. "An' soft."_

_ "Okay..." he drawled as if he had not expected my most recent description. "And...?"_

_ I took a deep breath. I could smell the detergent Momma uses for all the laundry, but beneath that, I could detect a scent that I could only describe in one way. "You smell... like... how the rain smells when it falls. But not _any_ rain. The rain from a t'understorm."_

_ I could feel Daddy nod in approval. "You're starting to get it. Now how do I make you feel?"_

_ "Happy. An' safe. An' I love you."_

_ I heard a thoughtful 'hmmm' from Daddy. "And if you could picture me as only energy – like the way you once pictured your own energy to look like... bubbles... how would you imagine I would look like?"_

_ I thought very hard about this one. I'm not sure if it was the warmth I felt from him, or the style of his hair, or the color of his training uniform, or all of the above, but there was only one image that came to mind._

_ "Like a pretty blue fire."_

_ He chuckled a little bit. "Now think of all these things that you've just described to me and put them all together."_

_ I did as Daddy said. I thought of how safe and warm I felt in his presence. I concentrated on how happy I was as he gently held onto me. I pictured a pretty blue flame wrapped around me, protecting me, as I bathed in the scent of electrified rain, a scent that was uniquely his. And as I got lost in all of those thoughts, submersing myself in his essence, something suddenly clicked into place and I could do more than just feel him with my hands and smell him with my nose and see him with my eyes. It was as if I just _knew_ he was right there with me. I could _feel_ him as if I had absorbed him into every cell in my body._

_ I looked up into Daddy's eyes with amazement. I could feel his energy all around me. Mine felt so miniscule by comparison. He was so very powerful that I couldn't quite fathom the extent of his life energy. And I was awestruck that someone with so much strength was my very own Daddy._

_ Daddy grinned with a mixture of triumph and amusement as he absorbed the amazed expression on my face. "And now you know how to sense someone's ki."_

_ "Only yours... for now."_

_ "Yes. For now. But all you have to do to learn how to sense another's ki is to remember this exercise. Soon, it will come so naturally to you, that you won't even realize that you're doing it."_

_ "So... I just hafta 'member this 'bout Trunks an' I'll find his ki too?"_

_ "Precisely."_

_ I grinned with the new knowledge to add to my arsenal and knowing that Trunks would not be able to hide from me for much longer. But then a curious thought struck my mind._

_ "Daddy?"_

_ "Yes?"_

_ "How does my ki feel to you?"_

_ A small grin tugged at his lips. "Like a bright, shining star."_

_ I couldn't prevent the exuberant smile from spreading across my face._

_~ from The Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Age 759, Third Galactic Quarter, Day 21 (Approx. 20 July, 759)  
Location: Planet 4DR14

Bra braced herself as her pod began to enter the atmosphere of a large, watery world. This being only her second planetary entry, she was not yet accustomed to the whole ordeal. This time, however, she knew what to expect when her pod began to rotate as it prepared for landing. A few minutes later, the pod crashed into what she assumed to be one of the few small islands dotting this world. The landing was much rougher this time around than it was on Zaridaina. As she climbed out of her pod, she saw the reason why; there was no conveniently placed landing pad to lessen the impact.

The blunette inspected her surroundings as she waited for Raditz's pod to arrive. This planet was a nameless one, referred to only by its coordinates, 4DR14. Raditz had told her very little of this world prior to their trek here. The only information she had gotten from him was that it was not inhabited by any intelligent lifeforms, but the dominant species was very dangerous. He had made her promise that she wouldn't stray from her pod until after his arrival.

Yet... she couldn't help but to be curious about this world made almost entirely of water.

Bra climbed out of the crater created by the impact of her landing. She immediately began heading downhill, determined to sneak a peek at the ocean before Raditz arrived. The island she had landed on was rocky but thickly vegetated. The terrain was very rugged and uneven, declining sharply as it sloped towards the shore. The water was very close by; she knew that she'd reach the ocean quickly. The smell of salt filled the air as a calm wind brushed through the trees. Light from the sun twinkled between the small spaces between the many tiny leaves high above.

The teenager could hear the waves lapping against the shore as she drew closer to the beach. There were still a considerable number of trees between herself and her destination; they obstructed her view considerably, but made her goal all the more enticing. Between the various species of foliage, she could see only glimpses of the aqua-colored water and the pinpricks of sunlight that reflected off of gentle waves like a million sparkling diamonds.

Bra had almost broke free of the jungle when she simultaneously felt a rumble beneath her feet and heard the distant bang that could only be the sound of Raditz's pod crashing into the ground. She hadn't realized how far she had gone from her pod until this moment and with the saiyan's instruction to her to stay with her ship until his arrival, she decided that it would be wise for her to abandon her goal and turn back, as much as she didn't want to.

_ I'll have plenty of time to see the beach,_ the blue-haired girl compromised with herself as she turned around to head back. _And maybe I can start working on my tan._ Just as she took her first step of the uphill hike, she thought she heard or felt something move behind her. She glanced over her shoulder towards the beach, her cerulean eyes swept across the treeline that separated her from the coast. Nothing appeared to be amiss. The ocean continued to gently roll into the sand and a light wind rustled the leaves. She shrugged away the uneasy feeling she had and continued back towards the pods.

What she had failed to notice during her inspection, was the unusual barb protruding from the trunk of the tree nearest to where she had been standing, imbedded in the bark where before nothing had once been.

Bra returned to the landing site as quickly as she could without the use of her ki. She was still apprehensive about displaying even a fraction of her power to Raditz. She preferred to allow him to continue believing that she wasn't anywhere close to his strength if it meant that he would have no suspicions of her heritage. Unfortunately, climbing the steep incline without the use of her ki meant doing it the hard way, exerting herself more than necessary. By the time she returned to the pods, she was a little winded and a light sheen of sweat coated her skin.

* * *

Upon landing, Raditz immediately checked his scouter for nearby energy levels. He expected to find Bra's ki nearby. But when it wasn't in the immediate vicinity, he felt a jolt of alarm. _Where did she go?_ he feared. _She could not possibly have been killed or captured so soon. She should have only landed a few minutes ago._

The saiyan clicked his scouter a few times, expanding the radius of its sensors. He found that the teen was about half of a mile to the southwest, slowly approaching his location. His concern was immediately alleviated knowing that she was unharmed. However, he was irritated that she hadn't heeded his warning and remained with her pod. _I warned her that this world is dangerous! Why did she not listen to me?_

Raditz exited his pod and waited impatiently for the girl to emerge from the jungle. Within a matter of minutes, he could hear her trampling through the forest. _No stealth whatsoever..._ he grumbled as he caught sight of her bright blue hair through the foliage. She pushed herself free of the thick weeds and branches.

"It's about time," Raditz groused as Bra approached him.

She grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. I just couldn't help myself. I was curious to take a look around."

The male wasn't swayed by her shallow apology nor her coy grin. "What the hell were you thinking, Bulla? I very clearly instructed you to stay with your pod."

Bra's grin morphed into a defiant frown. "I _know_. And I said I'm sorry."

"No. I don't think you _do_ know. You risked placing yourself in danger. The short amount of time you spent gallivanting around this island was ample enough time for the natives to have killed you thrice over."

Bra rolled her eyes. _Whatever. _He's_ the one who has no clue. The natives might be dangerous to him, but I'm sure they're nothing _I _couldn't handle._

Raditz continued to scold his charge. "I made a vow to you that I would see you to one of Frieza's planets where you can obtain the information you need to return to your home world. I would appreciate it if you didn't deliberately put yourself into situations that would challenge my ability to keep that vow."

"Al_right_," the blunette agreed, growing tired of the lecture.

"Thank you," the saiyan snapped back.

"What's so bad about this place anyway?" she asked with a heavily skeptical tone.

"The natives, which we have dubbed matopoids, have proven to be very lethal. Three attempts have been made thus far to initiate a contract with them. All four attempts have failed, ended with the lives of those who have been sent here. The matopoids are very aggressive. No one has been able to open a line of communication with them; they attack upon visual contact."

"So... you're here to try to succeed where previous envoys have failed?"

"Negative." Raditz paused, uncertain how to put it lightly. Finally, he said, "It has been determined that these creatures are simply too primitive to enter into negotiations. I'm here to subdue them."

Bra was a little confused by his elusive answer. "What do you mean? You mean... like... force them into submission?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Bra demanded.

"Because it's my job."

"No. I mean... Why does Frieza want their cooperation? What's so important about this world that he's willing to subjugate an entire species?"

"_Lord_ Frieza," Raditz began his explanation while also correcting the girl, "has need of this planet's oceans. The saline content of these waters is the highest of all the planets and moons in this entire sector. Once this planet has been absorbed into Lord Frieza's empire, this world and its waters will be used as a fueling station for the many ships and pods utilized by the Planet Trade Organization. It sounds improbable – the use of salt water to power massive ships – but that's how it's done. Don't ask me how; it's not my job to know."

But Bra didn't need to ask him how. She understood perfectly well how energy was created by stimulating a chemical reaction in the solution of compounds found within salt water. What she was more concerned with was the welfare of the matopoids. _What's going to happen to them under Frieza's rule?_ she wondered. _Will they become slaves like the tenra of Zaridaina? Will they be forced to produce saline fuel for Frieza's fleet in exchange for some addiction-inducing commodity?_

Raditz watched the shifts of emotion on Bra's face. Seeing the worry and concern sketched there stirred a bit of guilt in his gut. He hadn't been completely truthful to his charge. Yes, his mission was to subdue the matopoids... But it was to do so at any cost. That included exterminating them if necessary. And if he were honest with himself, extermination was the preferred method. Only with the extinction of the matopoids would the planet be completely secure for Lord Frieza's use. For reasons that were unknown to him, however, he couldn't bring himself to telling that to Bra. _Let her believe I'm merely here to conquer them. If she is so distraught over the thought of their enslavement, I cannot imagine her reaction should she learn of their destruction._

"I must go now," the saiyan male announced.

Bra's eyes snapped to his. "How long will you be gone?"

"As long as I need to be," he answered. "Stay here with the pods. The matopoids dwell in the sea. They cannot reach you here. I shall return by nightfall to check on you."

The blunette grimaced. His most recent statement made her suddenly feel like a burden, but that was the impression she has been carefully crafting so she had only herself to blame for that.

"Thanks," she muttered.

Without another word, Raditz took to the sky, leaving Bra in the middle of the island as she watched him fly away.

* * *

Bra was bored. B. O. R. E. D. Bored. Hours had passed since Raditz had left her behind. At first, she had occupied herself by monitoring his ki. He had flown away towards the east by a couple hundred miles. There, his ki had surged as it met with a force of several hundred smaller energy signatures. While his ki ebbed and flowed, Bra could only roll her eyes as she easily deduced that he had engaged in a battle with the natives. _Figures... Never can a saiyan get into a confrontation without it turning physical,_ she had thought wryly.

At first, the blunette had been a little worried for Raditz. There were just _so many_ of the matopoids around him that she couldn't distinguish one from another. Only the bright spark of the saiyan man's distinct ki stood out from the masses of lesser ki. After the first few hours, Raditz was still going strong, and Bra found that her concern had evaporated over time.

Instead, the girl had become very curious about what was actually going on out there as she felt the number of metapoid energies dwindle. She had wondered what exactly Raditz was doing to them. _Is he capturing them? _she had pondered. _Or rendering them unconscious like Uncle Goku would do?_ Another possibility had crossed her mind. But she found herself incapable of dwelling long on the thought that perhaps Raditz was actually _killing_ the matopoids. She was unable to see him in that light.

Eventually, Bra had tuned out the rise and fall of Raditz's ki. It had fallen into a pattern with little change and without having a way to know what exactly he was doing, she had grown frustrated and bored with trying to interpret his energy signature. So, she had tried to occupy herself in other ways.

The first thought that the demi-saiyan had toyed with was exploring the island. Raditz's warning to stay near the pods had echoed in her head. _He didn't exactly elaborate what his definition of 'near' meant,_ she cleverly manipulated his words. But she also didn't want to upset him again. _He actually seemed a little concerned earlier,_ she had noted, looking back at the situation. She had decided to compromise with herself. _I'll explore a little bit, but I won't go near the shore. That should be good enough to keep him happy._

Bra had hiked through the forest for a little while. The entire time, she had made sure that she stayed far enough away from the beach. Whenever she got close enough to hear the surf, she made sure to adjust her course to put her further from the coast. At one point, she had found a copse of fruit-bearing trees. Curious, she examined the fruit and after a careful inspection, she had deduced that they were safe to eat and she had herself a hearty snack. There were no animals occupying the island with her, but insects were plentiful. She found herself frequently swatting them away from her face. Other than the plants and the bugs, there was little of interest to her.

The teen had returned to the pods shortly after her snack. Boredom had begun to sink in at that point. She checked on Raditz's ki real quick and found that he was still going strong in his activities, so she had tuned him out once again. She occupied herself by fiddling with her smart watch for a while, but that didn't keep her interested for very long. She hadn't had it in her possession for very long and hadn't had the chance to install much on it before she found herself thrown into the past.

Out of desperation, Bra began to doodle in the loose soil that had been kicked up by the pods' crash landings. At first, they were just silly drawings, created absentmindedly, but eventually they had morphed into greater and greater precision and technicality as she found herself sketching out blueprints for silly and useless contraptions that would never come to life.

When the halfling finally realized what she was doing, she abruptly halted her train of thought and swiped at the soil, erasing all the silly things that she had designed. _Who would want a self-braiding hair clip anyway?_ she thought wryly as she kicked the dirt over on her last blueprint. _Well... Actually, a lot of people would probably want one,_ she amended, _but what good would one do me all the way out here?_

Bra came back to reality, realizing that she had gotten deeply distracted. She hadn't even realized how the sun was sinking below the horizon and how the once bright blue sky was now a deep violet. Night time was fast approaching. _Raditz should be coming back soon,_ she knew. She reached out her senses to see if he was on his way yet or if he was still engaged in combat.

His ki was gone.

The blunette was alarmed. _Oh my Dende! What happened? Why can't I sense him?_ She reached out further, concentrated harder. She focused on his essence; a scent that lie somewhere between pine and mint, the sensation of someone towering over her, the way his hair swished back and forth as he walked, an acquaintanceship built upon the foundation of her need for his assistance. For several minutes, she pushed her ki sense. She could feel a headache coming on from the exertion. And then... _There!_ she pinpointed his location almost a thousand miles to the east.

Raditz's ki was small and weak, but stable. It was a miracle that Bra had been able to find it. There was a swarm of matopoids surrounding him, but there was some distance between them and the saiyan – a small buffer, but still dangerously close. _He must be on another island somewhere,_ Bra theorized, based upon the little knowledge she had about the matopoid behavior. _It'll buy him some time, but he may not be safe where he is for very long. I have to find Raditz before the matopoids do._ _But he is so very far away..._

Forgetting about her vow to conceal her abilities, the demi-saiyan launched herself into the moonless night sky. She flew off towards the east, using the stars to light her way. Visibility was so poor that she had to fly at a low altitude in order to keep her bearings. The islands were so dark and so few and far between that they would be easily overlooked from a higher altitude. While it was easy enough to find the island Raditz was stowed away on by following his ki, without a significant energy source at the space pods, she wouldn't be able to use the same method to find her way back. So she memorized these few geographical landmarks as she made her journey.

Bra was nearly there when she sensed she was drawing near to the horde of matopoids. She could feels hundreds of them swarming beneath the surface of the ink-black ocean. She wasn't concerned, however. They were far below the surface and she was safe, beyond their reach, in the air. Still, she kept one eye cautiously glued to the ocean surface below, just to make sure.

That was when the teenager noticed a peculiar light shining in the waters below. They ranged from all colors of the spectrum, but most of the dim light was orange-red. The hue never stayed completely the same in any location, shifting through the colors like one of those color-changing novelty lights typically found in dance clubs. She slowed down to marvel at the light show. Its beauty was breathtaking, swirling and shifting like the Northern Lights back on Earth. She only wished that she could photograph or record video of the phenomenon below her.

Not only did the light shift colors, but they seemed to move as well. Bra thought this was just an optical illusion from the gently rolling waves. But she soon realized that it was not the waves at all; what she was seeing was a bio-luminescence. She couldn't quite see the source of this amazing sight, so in her curiosity, she decreased her altitude to get a better view. She had long since forgotten Raditz's warning about the matopoids as she flew closer and closer to the surface of the water.

The blue-haired girl was merely a few dozen feet above the surface when a point below her shifted to the deepest shade of red she had ever seen. She paused in her flight to take in the magnificent hue. As she did so, she watched as that point slowly grew a little larger. And then a little larger. And a little larger still. Faster and faster did all the different colors shift, until all she could see was the inky black water filled with splotches of deep glowing crimson. She was amazed by it once again. Her only regret was that there was no one to witness this with her. That was when she realized, _Oh shit! I forgot about Raditz! I can't believe I did that! Stupid! Stupid!_

Bra shifted to resume her flight towards Raditz when she suddenly felt a sharp pain glance her right cheek. She ran her hand over the place of inflicted pain. She felt a sticky, wet substance on her skin. When she sniffed the moisture on her fingertips – it was too dark to see what had rubbed off on her hand – she was immediately struck by the scent of her own blood. Before she could process the cause of the injury, she noticed that her cheek began to feel numb. She likened the sensation to the time when, at six years old and too young to know any better, she had gotten a hold of some of Master Roshi's homemade coconut rum. The tingly sensation in her cheek felt similar to the tingling of her lips when she had accidentally gotten a little buzzed from Roshi's alcohol.

Something else struck the demi-saiyan. This time, whatever it was, it didn't strike her flesh. Instead, the sensation was as if something had tugged at her sleeve. She grasped at it, and felt a long and narrow object snared in the cloth. She pulled it free and examined it. It was a barb of some sort, organic in nature, as if made from a bone-like or cartilage-like material. It was about twelve inches long and about as thin as a feather's quill. From the tip, a dark liquid slowly oozed. Curious, she ran her finger over the tip of the barb. It was razor-sharp and immediately bit into her fingertip with only the slightest bit of pressure. Instinctively, she popped her injured finger into her mouth.

Whatever toxin was in the barb had been injected into Bra's finger and then from sucking on the wound, had gotten into her mouth. Fortunately, it had been a negligible dose, and only managed to make the very tip of her finger and the tip of her tongue tingle. What was puzzling her was the source of this barb and the one that had glanced her cheek. Before she had her answer, she felt a needle-like object pierce her arm. She grabbed at the source of the pain to find yet another barb and roughly yanked it out of her flesh. _Where are these coming from?_ she fumed.

A sound grabbed the teen's attention; the sound of waves lapping against several solid objects. She looked down to see that the red bio-luminescence had gotten much brighter and much closer. In fact, many of the lights had breached the surface of the water. That was when she realized her horrible mistake. _The matopoids!_ she gasped. She could see them well enough now to see that they had her in their sights. And they were firing barbs at her. How they were doing it, she wasn't sure. More and more of the matopoids were surfacing and joining in the attack. She knew that soon there would be countless dozens of the creatures firing their projectiles at her. And their accuracies were increasing with each barb launched at her.

Immediately, Bra launched herself upwards into the safety of higher altitudes just as several of the barbs came within inches of striking her. She was a few hundred feet above the water when she finally slowed her momentum and looked back down towards the dangerous sea. The glowing red mass was enormous, spreading out for what seemed like miles. _If each of those splotches of red represented a single matopoid, then there must be thousands of them,_ she deduced. She was lucky to have escaped. In that moment, the severity of Raditz's earlier warning finally sunk in. _I should have listened to him,_ she realized.

The blunette continued the remaining couple of miles towards Raditz. She was close enough to his location now that she needn't fly so low to observe the geographical landmarks. Within a few minutes, she had found a small island. In the waters surrounding the island was a sea consumed by the swarming red glow of aggressive matopoids. Fortunately, they were restricted to the water. Near the very center of the island, where the elevation was highest, was Raditz's weakened ki.

Bra descended over the saiyan's location, carefully navigating the tropical trees, and gently landed a few feet from his prone form. She gasped when she took in the rough shape he was in. Bloodied and bruised, he had several dozen of the barbs imbedded in his skin. His arms, his legs, his tail, even his face resembled pincushions. It appeared as if he had been struck by dozens more but had managed to pull those free from his flesh before the numbing agent had paralyzed him. Blood slowly wept from these injuries.

The halfling quickly fell to her knees next to Raditz to begin examining his wounds. There were so many barbs, she felt completely overwhelmed. _Where to begin?_ she panicked. There were very few of the obtrusive objects protruding from his neck, so she decided to start by checking his pulse. It was sluggish, but steady. Working methodically, she began to pull out some of the barbs. Fortunately, she had learned from her own experience that they came out easily enough. She didn't want to risk further pain or injury to Raditz.

Unfortunately, it was just so dark. Bra could barely see what she was doing. She removed her smart-watch, clicked on the flashlight function, and clenched the band between her teeth so that the small beam shone the little light it offered down upon the prone saiyan. As she did so, she was able to see enough of Raditz's face and was surprised to see that his eyes were glued to her. As she looked into his dark orbs, she could see that he was cognitive of his surroundings, but unable to respond to outside stimuli.

The teenager had to make sure how lucid he was, so she removed the smart-watch from her mouth and began asking him a few questions. "Raditz... if you can understand what I'm saying to you, blink once."

Very, very slowly, the saiyan closed his eyes and then opened them again.

A small grin of relief tugged at the corner of Bra's lips, but she knew they were far from being out of the woods yet. "Can you feel anything? Are you in any pain? Blink once for 'no' and twice for 'yes.'"

He closed his eyes and opened them once.

"Okay. That's okay. It's not entirely bad, but not entirely good either."

The halfling knew that there must be an awful lot of the toxin coursing through her comrade if he was completely immune to any sensation. It was both a blessing and a curse. If he was severely injured, he wasn't suffering from the pain. But at the same time, without the sensation of pain, he wouldn't be alerted to any potential injuries, other than those inflicted by the barbs.

"Can you move at all? Other than your eyes?"

Again, he closed his eyes and opened them only once.

_Okay,_ she thought, _I didn't suspect so. A set back, but not one that I didn't expect._

"How about your breathing? Can you breathe easy enough?"

Bra's second concern was what other effects the toxin was having on Raditz's neural system. After confirming his inability to feel anything and his inability to move anything, she feared that the toxin would also paralyze his ability to breathe. She found that she held her breath as she watched him close and open his eyes once... twice. She sighed in relief. So it wasn't going to asphyxiate him.

"Alright. I'm going to start pulling the rest of these out, okay?"

Raditz blinked twice. Without saying anything more, the blue-haired girl replaced the smart-watch to her mouth and began the tedious exercise of pulling the barbs free from his skin. She began with his face, noting how it was slicked with his sweat from the fever that he had developed from trying to fight off the toxins. He was in such poor shape that she wanted to cry for him. But she cast her emotions aside and went to work almost methodically, as if she were tackling one of the many physics equations that her Pappy liked to quiz her on, picking apart one piece of the problem at a time.

Raditz watched silently and helplessly as Bra removed the instruments of his paralysis one by one. She was careful, efficient, and worked as quickly as possible. In a way, he was almost grateful for the paralyzing effects of the toxin. If not for that, his face would surely have betrayed him by revealing the many warring emotions running through him in that moment.

Strongest of all was the shame and humiliation the saiyan was feeling. _How could I be so careless?_ he scolded himself. _How could I have possibly_ _allowed those primitive creatures to gain such a crucial advantage over me?_ He couldn't believe that he had been overrun by the creatures, that they had managed to impale him with so many of their projectiles. He was ashamed that he was so weak. Raditz had barely managed to fly to this island before he had become completely paralyzed. He was angry that a little bit of toxin had crippled him so effectively and had made him as weak as a mewling newborn cub. No. Even weaker than that, for even a newborn had the use of his vocal chords whereas he did not even have that much.

Making Raditz's humiliation worse was the fact that he was now so helpless. _I should not have to be at the_ _mercy of a female who is many many times weaker than myself! Of a girl who is supposed to be dependent upon _me_, who is supposed to be _my_ charge, who is supposed to look to _me_ for safety and assurance and protection!_ For her to see him in such a pathetic and weak position utterly appalled him. It destroyed the image of himself he wished to paint for her. He was helpless to do anything to prevent the destruction of that image and it infuriated him. _Bulla will no longer see me as a strong protectorate after this incident has played its course. She will think less of me. She will lose faith in me._

The saiyan realized that his thoughts were migrating to dangerous territory. _Why am I so concerned with her perception of me?_ he suddenly wondered. _She is just a girl. A pathetically weak girl. Why should I care what thoughts of me she harbors?_ Almost curiously, he thought, _Have I already grown an infatuation with her in such a short period of time? Or do I simply find her vague statements and elusive behavior intriguing? Is it simply a matter of my desire to unravel the puzzle of her secrets? Or is it something more?_

As Raditz pondered the possibilities, he continued to closely observe Bra's progress. She had long since finished removing every barb from his face and had moved on to his arms. She was very careful and delicate with her ministrations, taking care not to cause further injury, he noted. He couldn't stop himself from comparing her tenderness to the brutal treatment he would have certainly gotten from others. _Prince Vegeta would not have bothered to help me like Bulla is doing. He would have made me see to my own wounds or would have ordered Nappa to do it. And Nappa... he would have done the job as quickly as possible with no regard to my health. He might have gone so far as to intentionally attempt to worsen the injuries under the guise of assistance, simply out of spite for having to aide me. But not Bulla. She seems to actually care about my welfare..._

The thought left a foreign feeling nestled deep inside the saiyan's core, one he couldn't recall ever having experienced before. _What is this that she makes me feel? This... contentment... Is this feeling the source of my growing interest in her? Is it her kindness that lures me in, like a lonely man under a siren's spell?_

And then Raditz was plagued by darker thoughts, fueled by suspicion. _Why _is_ Bulla being so kind to me? She cannot possibly be interested in my welfare simply for _my_ sake. If I have learned one thing while serving under Lord Frieza, it is that no one goes out of his or her own way for someone else's benefit. No. She is doing this for herself. This is an insurance policy, to make sure I will be able to take her to one of Lord Frieza's technological outposts so that she can get the information she needs and be on her way. And until then, she needs me to protect her._

That only led to further suspicion. _Or _does_ she need me as her protector?_ the saiyan fretted. _Bulla managed to fly here... I was not aware that she had that ability; I did not believe that she was capable of flight, having such a small amount of ki. And for that matter, how was she able to locate me without a scouter? She is hiding much more than I thought._

Raditz only grew infuriated as he dwelt upon his suspicions. Bra had moved on to his legs and as he watched her continue to work with great care, he only became angrier. He was trapped inside his body with his simmering rage, unable to express it in any way shape or form under the paralysis. His frustrations grew. He _had_ to know how she was able to find him and fly to him. He tried to form the words with his tongue and lips and throat, but they wouldn't obey him. Out of frustration and desperation, he reached out to her the only way he knew how; telepathically. He wasn't sure if his efforts would come to fruition; he very much doubted that it would work since she wasn't saiyan-born and she hadn't done anything yet to indicate that she was a telepath. But he was too angry to care if his attempt was useless.

So the saiyan mentally reached out to the blue-haired girl, pushing as hard as he could. The task was difficult since he had not formed any sort of bond with her. The formation of a bond was a prerequisite to communicating telepathically with one of saiyan blood. And he wasn't entirely sure that a bond could be formed with a non-saiyan, let alone a telepathic link. So it came as a great surprise when he suddenly felt the boundary of her mind. Oddly, it felt as though she had a subtle barrier erected around herself. He only allowed the presence of the mental wall to hesitate him briefly before he forcefully pushed past it.

Bra was finishing with the last few barbs imbedded in Raditz's legs when she thought she felt a gentle presence push against the edge of her mind. She paused a moment as she waited to see if she would feel it again. There was nothing there. She brushed off the sensation she had felt, passing it off as her imagination. After all, there was no one on the planet that had access to her mind. However, the presence suddenly returned with a vengeance, slamming into her mind and the mental barrier she had haphazardly erected. Pain erupted in her head from the violation. She froze as she steeled her mental will. The presence was foreign to her and she battled against its intrusion. She almost had the invading mind out of her own when a voice stopped her.

_"Bulla."_

There was only one person who knew the teenager by that name. Uncertain if she had heard the sound of her alias with her ears or in her mind, she glanced up at Radtiz's face. She gave him a questioning look filled with perplexity.

_"How did you do it?"_ he asked, and not with the use of his vocal chords.

Bra was initially too shocked to respond. No one other than her Daddy and Trunks had spoken telepathically with her. _How did Raditz break into my mind?_ she feared. Although she had relaxed somewhat against the foreign presence in her mind, she threw up a new barrier, a smaller one, one that protected her innermost thoughts.

_"You can hear me, yes?"_ the saiyan asked after her failure to answer his previous question.

The teen removed her smart-watch from her teeth. "Y-yes," she finally answered out loud. She was too frightened by his intrusion to respond to him through the telepathic link.

_"How did you do it?"_ he repeated his question.

"How did I do what?"

_"Find me. Fly here. How did you do it?"_

Bra felt a trill of anxiety pool in her gut. She knew that he would undoubtedly have questions for her after having revealed some of her previously concealed abilities. Like the need for her to rescue him was an unavoidable pull in her gut, his questions would also be unavoidable. She just didn't think she'd have to explain her abilities to him so soon. She hoped that she'd at least have some time while he recovered to come up with a plausible explanation that wouldn't rouse further suspicion.

The halfling sighed. "Now isn't a good time to explain."

_"Why not? You have my undivided attention. It's not like I'm going anywhere soon,"_ Raditz insisted with a bit of sarcasm.

Bra cast her gaze away, looking out into the darkness beyond the few trees surrounding them. For the first time, she noticed that she could see the ocean water through the sparse foliage. The sea was alight with the matopoids' glow, mostly in shades of reds and oranges. _Seems like the water was much lower when I first got here..._ she observed. And then she realized, _There's a tide coming in. I _really _don't have time to explain it right now._

To Raditz, the teenager said, "The water is rising and this island is too small to protect us much longer. I have to get the rest of these barbs out of you so that we can return to our island."

_"And how will we do that? I haven't regained any ability to move. I suggest that you flee before the tide gets high enough for the matopoids' attacks to reach us."_

Bra grimaced. "I'm not going to leave you here. That'd be stupid. If I have to, I'll carry you."

She could hear Raditz's scoff in her mind. _"Carry me? Don't be ridiculous, Bulla. I've taken your ki reading. What you propose is impossible."_

"Heh. Then prepare to see the impossible," the blue-haired girl teased as she placed her smart-watch back between her teeth so she could see to remove the final barbs from the saiyan's tail.

Bra worked in silence until the last projectile was pulled from Raditz's flesh. The saiyan had remained quiet while she worked and she appreciated it so that she could concentrate. But she was well aware that his presence hadn't left her mind. When she was done, she looked up again and took note of where the water's edge now lay. Indeed, it had risen another foot. And the matopoids were ever closer.

_"Alright, girl. Let's see you pull off this miracle,"_ Raditz's mental voice suddenly made itself known again, startling her from her observations.

The teenager turned off the flashlight function of her smart-watch and strapped it back onto her wrist. "Okay, you asked for it," she warned.

Bra positioned herself above Raditz's head and got a firm grip on him, grabbing him from beneath his arms. Fluidly, she hefted him up into a sitting position. Unable to use his muscles, Raditz's head rolled forward until his chin nearly touched his breastplate. He was thankful when Bra gently lifted his head and rolled it backward until he was looking straight up into the sky. He was still too numb to be able to feel what she was doing; he could only barely observe what she was doing in the corner of his eyes.

The demi-saiyan repositioned herself once again so that now she was underneath the large man's left arm. She draped the appendage across her shoulders. With a mighty heave, she pushed herself up into a standing position, taking the older man with her. Raditz wasn't standing completely erect – she was about two feet shorter than he was – but he was surprised that she had gotten him upright. He figured he was at least three times her weight and it must not have been an easy feat for her to have lifted all his weight – dead weight – up into a standing position. He would have liked to have taken another ki reading from her at that moment, but his paralysis left him in a state of unfulfillment.

Bra surprised him yet again as they slowly elevated into the air. He could barely feel it as his legs went slack with the absence of earth beneath his feet to support him. With his head locked in an upward position, he couldn't see how high up she lifted them, but he figured that she was taking them up quite a distance in order to avoid the matopoids' attacks. He wished he could do more to observe her. He was amazed and dumbfounded to find that that this slip of a girl could not only maneuver him but could also transport him so easily under her own power. When he was well again, he was most certainly going to get answers from her.

Returning to their island was slow going. The blunette didn't want to jostle Raditz unnecessarily. With no control of his muscles, she knew that he'd easily pull something in his neck or back if his head lolled too harshly under its own weight. And holding onto him was a bit tricky. His skin was slick with blood, sweat, and remnants of the toxin. His armor was so bulky that she could barely wrap her arm around his back. Fortunately, she was strong enough that he wasn't terribly heavy. Although it took a bit longer to return to their island, the trek was quiet and uneventful.

By the time they landed next to their pods, Raditz was feeling extremely drowsy. _"Into my pod,"_ he mentally instructed her.

Bra carefully settled him into the seat in his pod as best as she could. It wasn't easy with his bulky frame, but she managed to get him into what she supposed was a comfortable position.

"Now what?" she asked.

_"There's an emergency breathing apparatus that will feed healing chemicals into me. The large, green button."_

The teen found the button after a quick scan and pressed it. A face mask dropped down in front of Raditz's face. She went to work strapping it to him. Once it was secure, she could see a fine mist fill the mask as he slowly and deeply breathed in and out. _He's asleep,_ she realized. Worried about his injuries, she watched him for a long moment, as if doing so would make the wounds close faster. Hesitantly, she reached in and brushed a lock of hair away from his face, one that had gotten caught underneath the face mask. With a wane smile, Bra retreated from the pod and closed the latch while the medicine did its work.

* * *

**Story Notes:**  
matopoid – from _stomatopods_, or _mantis shrimp_. Seriously, if you've never heard of this animal, look it up. They are the most awesome creatures living in the ocean. I've loosely based the matopoids on mantis shrimp, but I've created some major differences. (Examples: mantis shrimp don't bio-luminescence – they fluoresce. Nor do they shoot projectile barbs filled with toxins – but they do pack a nasty punch.)


	9. Lesson Nine

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Nine  
The Finality of Death_

_ One of the most difficult concepts for a child to learn is that of death. In most cases, a child's first experience with the permanence of death is when an elderly relative passes away or a cherished family pet has an unfortunate accident. For those that know my family and friends well enough, they likely would have guessed that my first experience with death would have been the death of Daddy or Trunks during one of their epic battles over the fate of the Earth. Such a guess would have been a very good one, but it also would have been incorrect._

_ I was six when I learned very a very hard lesson about death. One of my very good friends at the time, a girl my own age who was the daughter of one of Momma's top engineers, had grown quite ill over the course of several weeks. At first, it seemed as though Sachima had a long, ongoing stomach bug. She told me that aside from puking a lot, she mostly just felt tired all the time. I visited her as often as Momma would allow me to, which was almost every day. But on some days, Momma said that Sachima wasn't feeling well enough for visitors and during those times it was better to let her rest._

_ As Sachima's illness grew more serious, my visits with her grew fewer and farther apart. The very last time I got to visit with her, despite her insistence that she felt better on that afternoon than most others, she looked horrible to my six-year-old eyes. Overall, Sachima's complexion was pale and waxy. The exception was her hands which were very blotchy. Her eyes had dark rings beneath them, exemplifying not only her exhaustion but also her weight loss. She looked completely run down. She was so sick and weak and frail that that last hour I got to spend with her was spent sitting on her bed with her, gently brushing her hair while we watched our favorite cartoon show together. _

_ Later that day, I asked Momma why Sachima wasn't getting any better. She said, "Sweetie... Sachima's doctors are trying their best to figure out what's wrong with her. I'm sure that they'll find a way to make her better."_

_ I believed her. Because, after all, the doctors that were working round the clock on her case were some of the finest on the Capsule Corps. payroll._

_ A week later, Sachima succumbed to – what the doctors would later determine from the autopsy results – Reye syndrome. At the time, I had never heard of it before. But not many had either. I have come to learn that Reye syndrome is a series of symptoms, usually triggered by a viral infection, that has no known explanation for its cause. Typically, children are the ones who are afflicted with this malady. And because this condition hadn't been seen in several decades, the doctors hadn't been able to recognize it in time to save Sachima's life._

_ Of course, when the doctors had concluded that the extremely rare Reye syndrome had been the cause of Sachima's illness, and because Sachima had been the daughter of one of Capsule Corporation's top engineers, the story went viral. The media went into a frenzy to cover every aspect of the syndrome. I remember news headlines such as _Rare Disease Strikes Caspule Corp _and _Reye Syndrome: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Children. _ The public ate it up like savage animals. _

_ But I didn't care about any of this. All I cared about was that my very best friend was gone. I was too young to understand the permanence of death at the time. And when one had access to magical artifacts such as the dragonballs, my misunderstanding was completely logical. I kept thinking that Sachima would soon come home from the hospital, feeling all better, as if she had never been sick at all. That had been my mentality one afternoon as I sat at the dining room table coloring a _Welcome Home_ card for Sachima when Daddy came across me._

_ "What are you doing there, girl?" Daddy grumbled while looking over my shoulder as he passed by me on his way from the Gravity Simulation Room to the kitchen._

_ "Makin' Sachima a present," I replied without pause._

_ Daddy suddenly stopped in his tracks. "That girl who was sick?" Momma had been just as concerned about Sachima as I had been and it was obvious that she had mentioned my friend's illness and subsequent death at least once to Daddy._

_ "Yea. But she'll be back soon. And better," I said._

_ Daddy was very quiet for several minutes. Eventually, he approached the table and took a seat beside me. His afternoon snack break forgotten._

_ "Did your mother not tell you?" he asked. Then, to himself, he cursed, "Damn that woman from keeping this from you. She should know that withholding such things only causes more harm in the end."_

_ Sensing the foreboding and irritation emanating from Daddy, I quickly clarified his assumptions. "Mommy told me about Sachima. She said she went to the hostipal and went to sleep. She meant the forever sleep. Right, Daddy?"_

_ A brief moment of shock came over Daddy's face. Then he confirmed. "Yes, princess. Your little friend went to the _hospital_," he corrected, "where she went to the forever sleep."_

_ "But she'll only be gone for a little while. When she comes home, she'll be all better! Jus' like in the stories Pan's daddy tells us where you all beat up the bad guys, but sometimes someone dies – they go to the forever sleep – but then you use the d'agonballs an' everything is all better again!"_

_ Daddy was quiet again for a long while. During this time, I felt his doubt ebb into me. And my spirits slowly deflated. My excitement sank into dread, knowing that Daddy's next words would be heartbreaking for me to hear._

_ "Bra," Daddy began gently, using my given name in a moment of rarity. "The dragonballs won't bring your little friend back from her death."_

_ "Why?" I asked in a small, trembling voice._

_ "Shenron's power doesn't work to bring someone back to life when the death is a natural one."_

_ "But... why?" I asked again._

_ Daddy shook his head. "I wish I knew, princess. But that doesn't change the fact that the dragonballs can't bring her back."_

_ Tears fell down my cheeks. "That's not fair..."_

_ "I know. Sometimes bad things happen to people who don't deserve it. And sometimes there's nothing that can be done to change or prevent those things."_

_ "But you and Uncle Goku and-"_

_ "We have all had second and sometimes third chances," Daddy said, interrupting my argument. "Some of us should never have had those extra chances," he stated as his eyes took a distant look before snapping back to the present. "We have been very lucky. Extraordinarily so. The cases wherein myself, your brother, Kakarot, and his brood have been returned to life are extreme exceptions and you shouldn't base your expectations on our rare circumstances."_

_ I wasn't ready to throw in the towel just yet. "But why can't, just this one time, a 'ception be made for Sachima?"_

_ "If I could make that exception for your friend – for you – I would. But imagine it this way, Bra. If Shenron _could_ return your friend to life, she would likely be returned her to her state of health at the time of her death. She would suffer from her illness all over again, perhaps not as slowly this time, and then she will succumb to her symptoms once more. You don't want for her to die all over again, do you?"_

_ "But we could wish her to be better after she is alive again!" I insisted._

_ "Again, Shenron doesn't have the ability to return her to life because of the natural cause of her death. He cannot do this for the same reason he can't simply cure a medical ailment. It's beyond his power."_

_ In a smaller voice, I suggested, "But then, if we at least wished her back to life, then the doctors could cure her. Now they know what was wrong with her... They could fix her."_

_ "_If_ we were able to use the dragonballs to wish her back to life – which we cannot – we would also have to use them to erase any and all knowledge of her death from everyone who was aware of it – including the cause of her death. She would die all over again just the same."_

_ "Why do we have to 'rase their memories?"_

_ "How do you suppose her miraculous resurrection would be explained while keeping the dragonballs a secret? Her death has been the news sources' main focus during these past several weeks. People will want answers."_

_ "Oh," I replied deflated. New tears streamed down my face._

_ Daddy sighed while reluctantly pulling me into an embrace. "The best course of action, Bra, is to understand and accept death for what it is. It cannot be prevented. It cannot be avoided. And, in a natural setting, cannot be undone. Eventually, everyone dies. Usually not until they've grown old, but sometimes it happens when they are young. You're right that it's not fair. But it _is_ inevitable. I'm very sorry that you have to learn this so young. But it is best that you come to terms with your friend's death knowing the truth instead of clinging onto false hopes."_

_ I remained quiet, having no response to the hard reality of Daddy's words._

_ Eventually, Daddy broke the silence. "I know you miss your little friend. If it makes you feel any better, know this: your friend has gone on to the Afterlife. One day, a long long time from now, after you've grown into an old woman, you'll fall asleep one night, only it will be the forever sleep, and when you wake up, you'll find yourself in the Otherworld and you'll be able to see your little friend again."_

_ Surprisingly, this _did_ make me feel better, if only marginally. "Really, Daddy? You promise?"_

_ A small grin tugged at Daddy's lips. "Of course. I should know. I've been there twice already, after all."_

_~ from The Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Age 759, Third Galactic Quarter, Day 23 (Approx. 22 July, 759)  
Location: Planet 4DR14

Thousands of miles south of the island on which a pair of space pods had landed on Planet 4DR14, close to the planet's southern pole, a young woman, all alone, hovered in the air above a sheet of ice that stretched for hundreds of miles. Like the girl's native home world, the layers of compacted ice were the result of centuries of fresh water precipitation. It was from this source that the girl planned to obtain drinkable water.

The girl's blue eyes surveyed the barren landscape, searching for the precise place to extract ice. Finally, they settled on a particular spot, one that really looked no different than any other, and with a single finger extended, she fired a thin ki beam towards the glacier. Soon, she would have a large load to carry back with her, to where she had left her only companion on this watery world.

* * *

When Raditz slowly rose from his poison-induced slumber, the first thing he took note of was the dryness in his mouth. His tongue felt like sandpaper and his throat burned like a thousand fires. A mask over his face continued to feed him a fine vapor, one that wasn't the least bit soothing and only exacerbated his parched state. He worked his tongue around his mouth, trying to alleviate the torturous sensation, when he realized that he was no longer paralyzed and the ability to move his tongue and jaw had been restored to him.

The saiyan's eyes popped open with the realization. He winced. Slowly, he opened his eyes again, allowing them to adjust to the light. He found that he was safely tucked away inside his space pod. The mid morning light of dawn seeped through the small window of the pod's portal. Although the light was dimmed by the tinted glass, it was still excruciating on his eyes, stabbing them like a handful of needles.

Raditz didn't immediately remember how he had come to be inside his space pod with the emergency life support attached to him. He remembered _some _things. Like his battle with the matopoids, becoming overwhelmed by their numbers, succumbing to the toxin in their projectiles, and barely finding safety upon dry land. But he didn't immediately recall how he had gotten from that island several hundred miles away back to this one where he was safely stowed away into his pod.

It was only fractions of a second when the missing bits in his memory came filtering back to the surface of his mind. He recollected the events that explained how he had gotten here. _It was Bulla!_ he gasped with disbelief._ Somehow... she found me on that island... without the use of a scouter! And she _flew_ all those miles. But how? Her ki is negligible! She should not have been able to leave our island._ He paused, wondering for a moment when exactly he had come to think of the island on which they had landed as 'theirs.' He quickly moved away from that dangerous thought.

_Then she... she began to help me,_ Raditz marveled._ She removed all the barbs that I had been unable to free from my body. Without my having to ask for her assistance and without her demanding something in return for her aid. I still do not understand why. And then, when she was done, she did something unfathomable... She actually _carried_ me back to our- _this_ island and placed me inside my pod where I could recover..._

Raditz's cheeks became stained with red as the last memory brought a feeling of shame crashing over him. _How could I have allowed myself to be so vulnerable? To be so helpless? To be at Bulla's mercy?_ And then that shame turned to anger, as it had done when she had rescued him. _She has been deceiving me! All this time... Bulla has been _pretending_ to be a weakling! _Pretending_ to need my help! For what purpose? What does she have to gain by tricking me? Is this some sort of sick game? A joke at my expense? I _will _have answers!_

As these thoughts swirled through the saiyan's mind, he focused on examining the state of his well-being. At the height of his injuries he had been completely paralyzed and riddled with puncture wounds. He now found that all of his injuries were nearly healed over and that he had regained some of his ability to move. _I have been unconscious for some time,_ he realized, based upon the progress of his healing.

Raditz tested his mobility, starting with his fingers and toes. Although a little lethargic, he was able to wiggle all twenty of his digits. Next came the test of moving an entire limb. He started with his right arm. It felt heavy like a lead weight, but slowly, he was able to lift it. He raised his hand to his face and, with a little difficulty, was able to grasp the mask attached there. With a little more effort, he was able to free himself of the breathing apparatus. Having exerted a lot of energy with the small task, he dropped his hand back down into his lap, the face mask in his loose grip.

As Raditz gave himself a moment to regain his energy, a dark silhouette passed over the window of his space pod, blocking the morning light from filtering in. A moment later, an audible hiss escaped from the pod door as it separated from the rest of the craft. As the door lowered, a female form was revealed looking down into the pod.

"Good morning, sunshine!" Bra's voice rang through the otherwise quiet morning atmosphere. "Did you have a good nap?"

Raditz winced at the girl's unbearably chipper voice. The very strong urge to interrogate her deflated almost entirely upon seeing her vibrant face looking down upon him. In the growing sunlight, her blue eyes sparkled and her pale skin seemed to glow. Her pink lips were pulled back into a warm smile. A light breeze played with strands of her azure hair. His anger receded as he looked up into her happy, exuberant face.

He worked his mouth and throat, barely rasping out, "How long... was I out?"

The blunette's cheerful grin fell slightly. "A day and a half, roughly. But I suppose you needed it," she said as she held a bowl of cool water to his lips. He drank from it greedily. She continued speaking as he drank, "You were banged up pretty bad. And you were delirious with a fever. It's a small wonder that you found your way back here in one piece."

Raditz sputtered, spilling water from his lips. "What are you playing at, girl?" he demanded, his once forgotten anger returning with force. "You know very well that it was _you_ who retrieved me and carried me back here."

Bra withdrew the bowl from the older male's lips. She silently stared at him, a look of concern etched in her face. "I don't know what you're talking about," she finally replied in a firm voice. "I had nothing to do with rescuing you. Like I said before, you had such a high fever that you were hallucinating when you returned. On your own volition, I might add. All I did was remove the barbs from you and help you to your pod. You were too far gone at that point to have found your way to your pod even if you had been sitting in it."

The saiyan studied the teenager for several long moments, searching for signs of deceit. She met his eyes head on, challenging him to contradict her. Her posture spoke of her confidence in her version of events. He tried to catch her scent, but seated inside the pod protected him from the slight breeze, and prevented him from smelling her.

As Raditz eyed her, he replayed his recollection of events. _I swear that it was _she_ who found _me_. I do not remember finding my way back to her. I can remember the sensation of being carried back here, yet I cannot visualize it. Did I, in fact, _imagine_ that she had rescued me as she claims I must have done? Or are my memories more accurate than she is willing to admit?_

In the end, he chose to believe her version of events.

Bra watched Raditz carefully as he warred with himself internally. Even though the telepathic link they had shared two nights ago had shriveled and died, she mentally willed him to believe her little fib. It would be so much easier for the both of them if he simply believed that he had hallucinated her rescue of him. But she didn't allow any of her fears or worries that she would be caught in her lies show externally. To help her pull off her deceit, she chanted over and over in her head the parts of her tale that were actually true. _I removed the barbs from you and put you in your pod. I removed the barbs. And put you in your pod. Removed the barbs. Put you in your pod. Barbs. Pod. Pod. Barbs._ If she could focus only on those bits, then she wouldn't have to worry about subconsciously revealing the falsehood of the other parts to her story.

The demi-saiyan was relieved when the turmoil on Raditz's face disappeared and he didn't question her further about the subject of his recovery. Instead, he seemed to put the incident behind him – at least, for _now_ – as he struggled to heft himself out of his pod. Bra set the bowl of water down on the rocky ground and offered her hand as if to help him up.

"Be careful," she admonished. "You probably still have some of that poison going through your bloodstream. You need to take it easy."

Despite his raging pride at having to accept her help, Raditz found that he was still very weak from his ordeal and grudgingly accepted Bra's hand and assistance. However, he found that her meager strength did little to aid him out of his pod. If he had had any lingering doubts about her abilities, they nearly vanished as he watched her struggle to support him. As if to wash away his memory of her lifting him with ease two nights ago, her legs suddenly buckled under his weight, kicking over the bowl of water as she did so. He nearly stumbled on top of her, but caught himself in the door frame of his pod before he crushed her.

"Sorry," Bra mumbled sheepishly as she put on a show of reluctantly conceding to her feeble strength. "I thought I could help you. I guess not."

"Don't worry yourself," Raditz replied. "I appreciate the effort."

After Raditz equalized his balance, the duo made their way out of the crater of his pod. The full-blooded saiyan took the lead while the halfling retrieved the now empty bowl and followed cautiously behind him. At the top of the crater, Raditz found that between his pod and hers, a small camp of sorts had been erected. _She has been busy,_ he noted. A fire pit, currently cold and filled with a few half-charred logs, sat in the clearing between the two craters. A pile of fire wood – sticks and bits of fallen branches – sat nearby on one side of the pit and a long, hollowed-out tree trunk had been dragged into place on the other side. A pile of fruit sat on a mat of leaves next to the trunk.

As soon as the saiyan's eyes landed on the stack of fruit, his stomach rumbled. Bra suppressed a knowing smirk. She watched as Raditz carefully made his way over to the procured food. He practically collapsed onto the rough ground next to the tasty treats. Without asking, he grabbed one of the fleshy yellow spheres in each of his hands and began to voraciously devour them. As soon as he got down to the pit of one fruit, he tossed it aside haphazardly and plucked another from the pile without so much as a glance.

Meanwhile, Bra casually walked around the cold fire pit opposite the saiyan and his feeding frenzy. She sat down on the trunk-bench and waited in silence while her companion ate. She toyed with the empty metal bowl in her hands while she waited. It really was only a matter of minutes before the pile of fruit had been transformed into a scattering of discarded pits. Raditz was busy licking the juices from his fingers when Bra finally decided to break the silence.

"Well, I'm glad you liked those so much," she teased. "It only took me three trips and the better part of yesterday afternoon to collect all of those. I'm glad to see that it was worth the effort."

The truth was, it had only taken her one trip and about twenty minutes to collect all the fruit her companion had just consumed. One of the other two trips she had made yesterday afternoon had actually been used to collect the firewood. The other had been used to procure the log she now sat on. But all of that was her little secret.

Raditz, however, found himself speechless. He hadn't even considered where the collected fruit had come from before he had plopped down and gobbled down her cache of food. He felt a little bit ashamed that he hadn't even asked her if it was okay to help himself. He was even more ashamed that he hadn't saved anything for her. For all he knew, she had scoured the entire island for anything edible and that small pile had been everything this meager piece of land had to offer. And, if his memories of two nights prior were really only hallucinations, then she had no way off this island in order to obtain some other form of sustenance. _Terrific,_ he groused. _I just ensured that I'd starve her to death._

The male was just about to open his mouth to apologize for his thoughtlessness – something he realized he had never had to do before – when Bra asked, "Are you still thirsty? I was able to collect some rain water last night. There isn't a lot, but it's rained both nights that we've been here and I'm willing to bet that it'll rain again tonight. So, if you want, you can have it all. You should drink it anyway. I don't know much about saiyans, but regarding the physiology of my people, water is essential for digestion."

Again, Bra embellished the truth a little bit. While it had rained, briefly, the past two evenings, it was not even close to collecting enough water to swallow a few mouthfuls, let alone being enough to quench a saiyan's thirst. She also didn't have just a little of it – she had a few large chunks of ice buried in the soil beneath her space pod in addition to what she had already melted down and stored away in her pod's reserve water tank. And on top of all that, her little claim about her limited knowledge of saiyan anatomy was also false, of course. She knew very well that water was far more essential to a saiyan's digestion than it was to a human's.

Raditz gave Bra a peculiar look. She wasn't entirely sure if it was because he saw through her ruse or if there was some other cause to his confusion. _Perhaps he's still feeling the effects of the poison?_ she wondered. Without waiting for him to answer, she rose to her feet.

"I'll just take that as a 'yes,'" the blunette replied as she headed towards her space pod – and to escape the saiyan's odd gaze.

When the girl fell out of sight behind her pod to access the water storage compartment, Raditz finally snapped out of the daze he had found himself in. He could feel his heart stammering in his chest. He felt a tidal wave of uncertainty wash over him. It was as if his insides were frozen over with fear, but he knew that such a feeling was irrational. _What is this sensation that is overcoming me?_ he pondered.

Before the saiyan could unravel the answer to his question, Bra came back into view, hefting the large bowl close to her chest, carefully clinging onto it so that she didn't spill a drop while climbing up out of the crater of her pod. Raditz sat up straighter as she approached, a nervous and unworthy feeling growing stronger as she drew near.

"Do you think you can drink this on your own this time? Or do I need to hold it up for you again?" the teenager grinned.

Raditz managed to find his voice. "I can do it on my own just fine," he barked with a little more acid in his voice than he had intended.

Bra's smile faltered a little, but she handed the bowl over to Raditz without commenting. The male felt guilty for being the cause of the disappearance of her smile. But he wouldn't reveal his guilt to her. He accepted the metal dish filled with pure, clear fluid and drank from it with greater care than he had earlier. He made certain not to selfishly spill a single drop, believing the girl's tale of having to slowly and painstakingly gather rain water. Again, Bra took a seat on the tree trunk. An awkward silence fell over them for some time while Raditz finished his water.

After several more uncomfortable minutes, Bra spoke. "So... I suppose I should apologize."

Raditz was confused. "For what?" he asked. He couldn't imagine what wrong she had committed. _Unless, she has something to confess,_ he suspected, thoughts referring to her earlier explanation for his return to this island.

"For not listening to you. About the matopoids." She paused a moment, looking distantly into the deep blue sky. "I didn't realize how dangerous they are. I'm sorry I didn't believe you."

Raditz hadn't expected _that_ to be the reason for her apology, but he nodded his forgiveness nonetheless and buried his suspicions deep within him once more. Then, without looking at her, he said a little reluctantly, "And I suppose I should be thanking you. For removing the barbs and helping me to my pod. I may not have survived if not for your assistance," he admitted. When he glanced in her direction, she saw that his cheeks were a little bit pinker than usual.

A humble, but honest, smile stretched across Bra's lips, one that caused Raditz's stomach to flip. "Oh, no! It was nothing!" she protested as she flapped her hand dismissively. "Really! It was no big deal. It was the right thing to do. I mean... I couldn't just leave you like that, right? What kind of jerk would do that? You know?"

The saiyan rose from his seat on the ground with more strength than he had had several minutes ago. His small meal was already doing wonders to help him regain his energy. He gently seated himself on the bench next to the teenager and took her hands in his. His sincere and intense gaze bore into her suddenly shy and uncertain eyes.

"To you, it may not have been significant. For someone such as myself, such acts of kindness are rare. So rare, that I don't really know how to respond to it. In my line of work, kindness and mercy are frowned upon. To accept someone else's help is a show of weakness. And to be thankful for another's aid is..." He paused, shook his head sadly, and continued, "It's completely unheard of. So please don't dismiss my gratitude, for it is very difficult for me to be able to show it to you at all."

Bra was stunned. She was absolutely speechless with his sincerity. And deeply saddened by his words. She slowly slipped her tiny, delicate hands out of his large, calloused ones. Her cheeks were warm and her heart fluttered from the intimate contact. Unable to keep her blue orbs locked with his unyielding gaze, she averted her eyes. _What just happened?_ she questioned herself. _Things suddenly just got really intense..._

The blue-haired girl felt the desperate urge to change the subject. "So... the, uh, matopoids..."

Raditz quickly caught on to the fact that his young charge was intentionally altering their conversation. Sensing her discomfort, he went along with it. "What about them?"

"Well..." she drawled, trying to find a way to nurture the topic. "They _are_ quite dangerous. And they seem kinda smart, you know? Like... they knew to... swarm you, or whatever."

Raditz's eyes furrowed as suspicion reared its ugly head again. "How do you know they were swarming me if you never left this island?"

Bra felt a cold fear sink in her gut as she realized her slip-up. Quickly, she recovered from her error. "Well, you had so many of those barbs stuck in you that I just figured there must have been dozens of them that attacked you all at once. It's amazing that you faced off against so many of them and survived so many injuries."

The saiyan fell for her distracting flattery. With a wolfish grin, he corrected her, "Only dozens, eh? Try _hundreds_ of them... at every given moment over the course of several hours." When Bra's eyes widened with awe, he further bragged, "And I've sustained injuries far worse than those you saw two nights ago. It will take a lot more than some petty sea vermin to take me down!"

"So they _did_ attack you all at once, right? Don't you suppose that that eludes to at least some form of intelligence?"

"What's your point?"

"Well, they're smart. They can strategize attacks against their enemies. That's what makes them dangerous. So how does Fr- uh... _Lord_ Frieza plan to keep the matopoids subdued when he takes over this planet? Especially if it's done hostilely? Wouldn't it make more sense to try to reexamine the possibility of communicating with them?"

Raditz looked away from Bra. _I had hoped that Bulla would not inquire further about my mission objectives. She is too sentimental for the truth. But what choice do I have? If I lied to her, she would discover the truth before we left this world._

The demi-saiyan was glad that Raditz's eyes were no longer boring into her. But his sudden unease left her feeling nervous again.

"What's wrong?" she prompted. "Whatever Frieza's- I mean, Lord Frieza's, plans are, it can't be _that_ bad. Right? It's not like he wants you to kill all the matopoids or something."

Raditz stiffened, but said nothing. Bra realized then that she had hit the nail on the head with her lighthearted jest. She brought a hand to her mouth and stared at the saiyan in a look of shock.

"You're killing them... _all_ of them... aren't you?" she accused.

The saiyan snapped his head up and glared at the girl. _So much for discretion._ "Yes. Those are my orders. The matopoids cannot be dealt with in any other way. Their extermination has been ordered."

"You can't do that!" Bra exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "They're living creatures! They might be dangerous, but they have a right to live!"

Raditz leaped to his feet as well, towering over the short female. "I have no choice! Those are my orders and I am to carry them through!"

"But it's xenocide!"

"It's my survival!"

"You don't have to kill all of them for your survival! It's just greed! Frieza's greed! You don't have to do this!"

"Yes, I _do_!"

"_NO_, you _don't_!"

Raditz gritted his teeth. "Yes. I. Do. If I disobey my orders, my punishment will likely be my death. If I fail at completing my orders and I escape this planet alive, then my punishment will also likely result in my death. When I say that the extermination of these beasts ensures my survival, I mean exactly that. My only choice is to fulfill my mission objectives and report my success to my superiors."

Bra felt as if the world had fallen out from beneath her feet. "No. It can't be like that. You're not like that. You're not a murderer. Not like that."

The saiyan was beginning to lose patience. "I _am_ like that, Bulla. I _am_ a murderer. It's what I'm usually paid to do. Because it's what I do _best_."

"No. There has to be another way."

"There _is_ no other way."

"There _has _to be!" she protested. Her mind whirled with activity as thoughts and ideas and alternatives surged through her head. "What if... What if... What if I could prove that they _are_ intelligent? I'm sure that they are! It's just a matter of finding a way to communicate with them! No one has figured out how yet, but I bet I could if I just had some time!"

"We have no time to afford studying these creatures," Raditz barked. "The acquisition of this planet is already behind schedule. The order has been given to eradicate the matopoids. Once the order has been given, there is no rescinding it."

But Bra was no longer listening to his words. "It has to be something to do with their bio-luminescence... I'm sure of it! I'm willing to bet that their colors change when they want to express different things. It just needs to be translated... And then we could develop a way to communicate back to-"

The teenager was roughly jerked from her thoughts as Raditz grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a single, hard shake. When he had her attention, he snapped, "The matopoids are going to be exterminated! What part of that don't you understand, wench!? If _they_ don't die, then _I _will! Don't you get that? And if I die, then what chance do you have at finding your way home? Huh? Answer me that! Do you think anyone else with the connections I have would spare you the amount of charity that I have given you? You were lucky that I came along and found you in that diner on Planet Aphis. If I hadn't, then someone else would have and you likely would have been raped, killed, or both by now."

Bra jerked herself out of Raditz's grip, using a little more force than she had intended and enough strength to elicit a small amount of surprise from the full-blooded saiyan, based upon the slight shift of his expression. The girl took a few steps back from him, staring at him defiantly.

In a calm and quiet voice, one that was completely opposite of the loud and angry one she had been using moments ago, the teenager spoke. "On my home world, throughout the course of our history, my people have done countless terrible things to the other inhabitants of our planet. So many species of plants and animals have been eradicated. Animals hunted to extinction because people only wanted to harvest their pelts or their tusks. Entire species of plants burned to the ground as people cleared land for farming.

"My _**Grammy**_-" Bra paused, realizing she had slipped and used a word in human common, and corrected herself so Raditz would understand. "My grandmother, in her younger years, was an advocate for the protection of endangered species. She did what she could to save some species from dying out." She thought of the gardens her grandmother kept, of the many exotic plants and animals that only existed on the grounds of Capsule Corporation because of her efforts. She thought of her father. A member of a nigh extinct species that Kiki Briefs had taken into her care, and by doing so, ensured his survival.

Bra continued, "You, as a saiyan, know what it's like to be a member of a race of people that was nearly wiped out. How can you, in good conscious, exterminate other races knowing that yours was once almost completely destroyed?"

A heavy silence hung in the air. Raditz stared down at the slip of a girl who would dare to question his morals. A fragile little female who would dare to mention the downfall of his once mighty race. A nosy, insufferable wench who would dare to remind him of those he had lost during Planet Vegeta's destruction and to compare them to these disgusting, primitive matopoids! Angered by her righteousness, he gritted his teeth, clenched his hands into fists, and snapped his tail back and forth. Despite the obvious signs of his wrath, she didn't shrink away from him. She merely continued to stare into his fiery black orbs with her open and questioning blue ones.

After a few minutes, Raditz could no longer tolerate her silent accusation. He wanted to take his frustrations out on her, but knew that he couldn't. Even if he had wanted to, there was something about her that made the thought of bringing harm to her extremely unsettling. Almost nauseating. Instead, he launched himself into the air, putting at much distance between himself and her as possible, despite the lingering effects of the toxins in his bloodstream.

Bra watched the saiyan storm off into the sky until she could no longer see the light of his ki. She exhaled, letting her shoulders sag as she allowed the tension to flow out of her. She felt like she needed a good, hard cry to let the stress escape her. The girl sank until she was sitting on the tree trunk once again, propping her elbows on her thighs and burying her face into the palms of her hands. She felt her nose begin to tingle and felt her eyes begin to water. She pulled herself together and didn't let her emotions escalate any further than that. But she only felt worse by bottling up her emotions.

In the back of the blunette's mind, she kept tabs on Raditz's ki as it gained distance away from her, traveling a little south of due west. In a matter of fifteen or twenty minutes, he had covered a couple hundred miles. When she felt his ki surge, she grew immediately concerned, fearing for the safety of the matopoids. But she didn't feel any in his vicinity and she relaxed. _He's just blowing off some steam,_ she noted with some relief.

"There's gotta be a way to save the matopoids while also making sure Raditz isn't disciplined for disobeying his orders," Bra muttered to herself, slipping into human common now that she was alone. "If I can figure out a way to communicate with the matopoids, I'm _positive_ that an agreement can be made between them and Frieza's men."

_'Wishful thinking,'_ an annoying voice popped up into her head.

Bra rolled her eyes. "Great. It's _you_ again. Haven't heard from you in a while... I was beginning to enjoy the peace and quiet."

The voice in her head chuckled. _'I only pay a visit when you need me most.'_

The teenager grimaced. "I'll admit that you were helpful the last few times. Y'know... when I was _actually_ in danger. I don't see what harm I'm in right now. _Safely_ tucked away on this island."

The voice tisked. _'You may be safe _now_, but that doesn't mean your next course of action won't take you down a perilous route...'_

"So you want me to abandon any thoughts of saving the matopoids?"

_'I didn't say that...'_

Bra frowned. "So... I should try to save them."

_'If you try to save them, you will only end in failure.'_

The halfling raked her hands through her hair. "I don't really care _what_ you think. I can't just give up without trying!"

_'What's more important to you? The futile attempt to save these creatures? Or Raditz's safety? Either one side of the equation will be eliminated, or both will.'_

The voice grew quiet. Bra felt her heart fall as she reluctanly accepted the truth of the situation. She could _try_ to communicate with the matopoids. She could _try_ to convince Raditz to spare them. But then what? When he reported the results of his mission, he would be punished for his disobedience. He would likely be killed for his insubordination. He had said as much, but she wasn't willing to listen. And the matopoids? The mission of their destruction would be reassigned and they will be exterminated anyway, she realized. Her efforts would only be rewarded with Raditz's blood on her hands. Her only choice was to accept the inevitable xenocide of the matopoid race. She was helpless to stop it.

This time, when the tears came to her eyes, she let them fall.

* * *

Raditz did not return to their island until long after the sun had set. He was much calmer upon his return than he had been when he had left. He regretted having gotten into such a heated argument with Bra, which was why he had brought a peace offering with him. When he returned, he found that the little camp she had set up between their pods was dark and vacant. He was disturbed by the fact that she hadn't even bothered to light a fire. The night was growing cool and he could smell that a rain shower would soon be upon them. She would need to be kept warm and dry.

The saiyan also noticed that a new stockpile of fruit had been collected at some point during the day. _I see that she was not without nourishment, after all,_ he concluded as he set down the large fish-like creature he had caught during his return flight. _So much for my peace offering..._

With his hands free, Raditz clicked the buttons on his scouter and searched for Bra's energy source. He found it a few hundred paces to the northwest and followed it. When he reached her location, he found that she had perched herself in a high branch in a very tall tree. It eluded him how she had managed to climb up there so high – the tree she sat in had few branches and they were far from one another. But that wasn't important at the moment. He elevated to her altitude and saw that she was gazing out into the distance.

"Deadly, but beautiful," the teenager muttered.

"What?" asked the saiyan.

"The matopoids," she elaborated without glancing in his direction. "They're dangerous, but they're so beautiful as well. It's breathtaking. I could just watch them for hours..."

Raditz followed her gaze and saw that she had discovered a perfect and stunning view of the endless ocean. In the inky black waters, a kaleidoscope of colors danced and swirled. He acknowledged that the choreography of light was what many would consider appealing.

Unfortunately, he wasn't much of a romantic and inadvertently soured the mood. "You wouldn't find them so appealing if you saw them under the light of day. They are quite grotesque."

She glanced at him, giving him a warning look, then returned her gaze towards the sea. "I don't care. Right now, they're amazing." She was quiet for a moment. Then she said sadly, "It's a shame that..."

"...that I have to kill them all. Right?" Raditz continued for her a little testily.

"Yea."

"We aren't going to go through this argument again, are we?"

Bra sighed and looked down into her lap. "No. I was foolish and naïve to think that I could save them. I'm sorry I got angry with you."

"Good. I'm glad you understand."

The teen looked up at her companion. "It doesn't mean that I like what you have to do or that I even agree with it. All it means is that I realize that there isn't a choice here. You have to do what you were ordered to do. I shouldn't have demanded that you put yourself at risk."

Raditz nodded once, accepting her apology. He changed the subject before it grew awkward again like it had earlier in the day. "Have you eaten? Other than some of that fruit, that is. I brought back a large fish to eat. I'm willing to wager that you haven't had any protein in a few days."

Truthfully, Bra answered, "No. I haven't, actually."

"Well, then, shall we go prepare our dinner?"

"Sure," the teenager answered with a hint of a smile. "Um... would you mind helping me down?" she asked sheepishly.

Raditz grinned toothily. "You need help getting down? How did you manage to get up here, anyway?"

Bra giggled a little nervously. "Eh... heh heh... My race of people are good jumpers."

It wasn't an outright lie. She was half saiyan, and saiyans were good jumpers. _Better_ than just good jumpers.

"So you can jump up, but now down?" the saiyan asked skeptically.

"Well... not from this high." That one _was_ a lie.

"Alright," Raditz conceded as he scooped her up off of the branch bridal style. "But I'm not carrying you back to camp. You're on your own for that."

* * *

**Story Notes:**  
Sachima – _sachima_, a sweet, Chinese pastry.  
Reye syndrome – an ailment that typically affects children, rarely adults. Symptoms include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, rashes, fever, and in later stages (if left untreated), fatty liver, seizures, coma, respiratory arrest, organ failure, brain damage, or death. Causes aren't really understood, but can be triggered when aspirin is given to young children after they have had a viral or virus-like infection. Unlike the description in this chapter, Reye syndrome still occurs, but in extremely rare cases (less than one child per million is effected each year).


	10. Lesson Ten

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Ten  
Saiyashi_

_ Culture and heritage have always been very important to my father. It was why he was so determined to make sure that my brother and I were fluent in his native tongue; saiyashi. During my infant and toddler years, my father often spoke to me in the language of his birth. While learning the common language of Earth, I was simultaneously learning to speak saiyashi. But for my father, it wasn't enough to be able to speak it. I also had to learn how to read and write it. And my articulation had to be perfect._

_ "You are my daughter, the princess of all saiyans," Daddy said to me one day when I was five years old. Of course, he was speaking in his native tongue as he gave me this particular lecture. "You will speak saiyashi properly, as a princess should. You must enunciate. You are allowing your pronunciation to be poisoned by the accent of the human tongue."_

_ "Faa! I can nat help it!" I despaired. "It is fery hard!"_

_ "The correct pronunciation is '...can _not_...'_ _and_ _'..._very _hard...'" he corrected. "I will not have my only daughter speaking like an illiterate commoner. Now, read the next line."_

_ On a sheet of paper held between my two hands,Daddy had written several sentences in saiyashi. I recognized most of the symbols and the words that they formed when put together. But I was not entirely accustomed to the written aspect of this language that Daddy was so adamant that I learn. Carefully, I began to read the third line out loud._

_ "'The hoddy-'"_

_ "Haughty," Daddy corrected._

_ I began again. "'The hotty-'"_

_ "Haughty."_

_ "'...haugh-ty woman wore the... ha-yet-'"_

_ "Hat."_

_ "'...haaat... in the ha- ...in the ha-'"_

_ "Hot."_

_ "'...hot hut." Slipping back into human common, I whined, "See? You made it too hard! All tha words soun' tha same!"_

_ Staying in saiyashi, Daddy said, "No two words in that sentence share identical phonetics. Some are similar. But none are the same. You will learn the distinction with practice."_

_ I pouted. "I don' wanna practice no more today."_

_ "In saiyashi," he prompted._

_ "Faa, I do nat wish to study enymore."_

_ Daddy pinched the bridge of his nose. I knew that his urge to correct my mispronunciation was strong, and I didn't even need to feel it through our kinship bond to know this. Somehow, he managed to not only suppress that urge, but also give me some encouragement._

_ "Your articulation is improving, girl. Not only will you soon sound like a native speaker, but you will sound like a daughter of the highborn House of Vegetus. All that stands in your way is your lack of resolve. Conquer what hinders you, and the rest shall come naturally."_

_ Momma happened to enter the library at that moment. "Oh, Vegeta, you're not still drilling her on those _saiyago_ – or whatever – lessons, are you?"_

_ "It's _saiyashi_, woman!" Daddy scolded, flipping into human common. "Don't belittle my native tongue!"_

_ "Yea, yea," Momma waved dismissively as she took the sheet of paper from my hands. She examined the symbols written there with open curiosity, flipping the paper every which way as if a different perspective would decipher its secret message. Finally, she said, "You know, if you had bothered to teach me saiyago-"_

_ "Saiyashi," Daddy corrected again._

_ "Whatever. As I was saying... If you had bothered to teach it to me, I could probably help you teach it to Bra."_

_ "That would be blasphemous, woman! You can't even speak your own native language without butchering it. What makes you think I would risk hearing the ancient language of my ancestors in your lowborn dialect?"_

_ Momma responded by calmly rolling that sheet of lessons into a tube and then bopped Daddy on the nose with it. "How do you know I wouldn't speak it more eloquently than you do?" she challenged._

_ "When you can speak your own language with precision – and teach your daughter to do the same – then I might consider it."_

_ "Oh, really?" Momma challenged. _

_ I grinned as I watched her test Daddy's patience with several more light taps to his nose. Then I remembered something Daddy had told me about saiyashi and I blurted it out._

_ "Momma, you can't learn saiyashi 'cuz you're notta saiyan."_

_ She stopped mid-bop, glancing at me, and then returning her now-accusatory eyes upon Daddy. "You 'might consider it,' eh? But you never intended to actually teach it to me, did you?"_

_ Daddy, looking like he had been busted in a lie, glanced away from her and said, "Yes. I said I would consider it. But I didn't promise I would."_

_ "Mmhmmm..."_

_ "Woman, even if it weren't against the laws of my culture to teach it to you, you still would not be able to speak it."_

_ "Why not?" Momma demanded._

_ I knew the answer. "'Cuz you don't got tha same vocal cores that saiyans got." Daddy had also told this to me._

_ "In addition to lacking the additional vocal chords that saiyans have," Daddy added, "humans have smaller mouths than saiyans..." This was something I hadn't yet known. "...making it impossible for you to be able to pronounce all the sounds in our language. The likelihood that your intentions would be misconstrued due to poor annunciation is astronomical."_

_ "Okay. Okay. I get it," Momma conceded. She unrolled my lesson sheet and handed it to Daddy. "I'll let you have this secret language of yours to share with the kids. I know there's not many things you have to bond with them, especially Bra. So I'll leave you two to your lessons," she said as she headed towards the door. "Just don't keep her up too late." And then she was gone._

_ Daddy breathed a sigh of relief, as if he had narrowly avoided an all out war. Then he handed my lesson sheet back to me and instructed in saiyashi, "Read line five."_

_ I accepted the paper from Daddy. But my thoughts swirled around what Momma had said. A secret language... for me to share with Daddy. And Trunks – if I felt like using it with him. The idea that I would have a special language to share with Daddy brought a smile to my face. I suddenly wanted to be able to speak it perfectly, to make Daddy proud. _

_ I carefully studied the symbols of that fifth line and began, "'The fery ba-yed brince-'"_

_ "Be a little more aware of your consonants," he cautioned me._

_ I started again. "'The v- very ba- bad p- prince broke fife- five blue v- vases.'"_

_ "Good. Now read it again. This time a little faster."_

_ "'The very b- bad prince broke five blue v- vases."_

_ A ghost of a grin tugged at Daddy's lips. "Much better. Continue to improve like that and you will have mastered saiyashi much sooner than your brother did."_

_ I broke out in a huge smile. The idea of besting Trunks at something made my heart sing. Over the course of the next several weeks and months, I practiced saiyashi with Daddy every night. And sure enough, by the time I was seven years old, I had mastered words that Trunks hadn't yet learned at twenty years old. I had come into the habit of pestering Daddy to teach me new words that I could turn around and taunt Trunks with. Of course, Trunks would humor me and pretend to be jealous or offended by my teasing. I suspect that he did it to encourage me – not only to learn more, but also so I would continue to harass Daddy. _

_ To this day, I'm glad that Daddy taught me the native language of his people, a language that is known to the less than two dozen remaining descendants of the saiyan race. It can be argued that knowing a language that is spoken by so few people has no practical use, but learning saiyashi and being able to pass it down to my children and grandchildren has helped to preserve a piece of Daddy's race. This small remnant of saiyan culture binds together those of us with saiyan blood coursing through our veins. _

_ Although I am only able to speak saiyashi with my closest friends and family, it has added a bit of flavor to my life. Using this rare language has made my life quite interesting at times. In most instances, having a mastery of saiyashi has had its advantages. But on some occasions, it had come with unexpected costs..._

_~from The Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Age 759, Third Galactic Quarter, Day 27 (Approx. 25 July, 759)  
Location: Planet 4DR14

Four days and four nights had passed since the big argument and reconciliation. Four days that Raditz spent exterminating entire colonies of matopoids. Four nights that he spent returning to the island he shared with the blue-haired teenager.

Ever since resuming his mission, the saiyan had approached each battle with a bit more care and planning than he had on that first day, the day that had nearly resulted in his death. He made certain to stay above the range of the matopoids' projectile barbs. This meant that he could only use ki-based attacks since melee combat was not an option. And since he had to heavily rely upon his energy reserves, he had to pace himself. He couldn't take on large colonies all at once; he had to eliminate them one section at a time. Another hindrance to his new tactic was that he was forced to rest more frequently between battles. He had to make certain that he was within a few miles of the nearest island so that he could safely eat and relax while he regained his energy.

Raditz recognized that he was at such a moment that his energy was nearing depletion and he knew he'd have to return to one of his many island camps soon. He extinguished his ki beam and admired his handiwork beneath him. The once pristine, green sea was now a murky shade of yellow-brown, contaminated by the blood of all the matopoids he had slain in this region thus far. The surface of the ocean roiled as bits of charred exoskeleton and mutilated innards floated upon its surface. It was a festering soup of rot and decay that went as far as his eyes could see.

Normally, the visual evidence of his handiwork made him feel invigorated and empowered. But seeing the proof of his butchery caused his thoughts to wander towards his young female charge and the blowout they had had a few days prior. He could hear her words in his mind as if she had just spoken them.

_ "They're living creatures! They might be dangerous, but they have a right to live!"  
"You, as a saiyan, know what it's like to be a member of a race of people that was nearly wiped out. How can you, in good conscious, exterminate other races knowing that yours was once almost completely destroyed?"_

Somehow, these words had taken root deep inside of him. Looking down upon the butchered remains of the masses he had slaughtered didn't bring the joy Raditz typically reveled in. Now, he felt empty. Almost sickened. It was easy to ignore the nagging feeling while he was preoccupied with combat. But now that he was idle with only his thoughts to occupy his time, he could feel her words beginning to eat away at a small piece of his resolve. He could feel the tiniest bit of guilt about killing off the matopoids all because she just had to make the comparison between his race, the saiyans, and these primitive, crustacean beasts. He was glad that he was about to get a reprieve from the repulsive sight of their demise. As he flew away from the battlefront, he cursed the blue-haired girl. _Damn you, Bulla! What are you doing to me?_

When Raditz landed on his island, the first thing he did was check the nearby lagoon for food. He had found that the deep, isolated waters of said lagoon were not only free of the predatory matopoids, but it was also teeming with large fish-creatures. Or at least, it _had_ been before he discovered it. He had been using this location frequently over the course of the past day and a half as a source of sustenance. He hoped that he hadn't completely fished out the lagoon already.

Fortune was on his side. The saiyan quickly caught a large sea animal, one he hadn't caught before, and wrestled it to shore. After breaking the creature's neck, he settled down on the rocky shore to eat his meal. He ate it raw instead of cooking it like he would have done had he been sharing his meal with Bra. He grimaced as he came to the realization that his thoughts had once again turned towards the blue-haired teenager. He slurped a long strip of slimy, rubbery, milk-white flesh into his mouth and chewed slowly as his thoughts of Bra created a surge of anxiety and anticipation to rise in his gut. He had yet to figure out what these feelings were and why she was causing them.

Raditz finished his meal and tossed aside the skeletal remains. Already, the hearty snack was giving him a boost of energy. He leaned back onto his elbows, allowing the sun's rays to soak into his skin and dry his clothes and armor while he gave himself a few minutes to digest. _Perhaps I will stop by this island on my return to Bra this evening and catch one of the lagoon creatures for our dinner,_ he planned. _I am curious to know how the creature I just ate would taste if it were cooked._ As he considered this, he then thought with some trepidation, _I hope Bulla has not yet grown weary of our limited food options. This world only has sea animals to offer in terms of meat._

The saiyan recalled the pattern he and Bra had fallen into over the course of the past four nights. He would return to her with some sort of aquatic animal for their dinner. It was strange, he noted, that she gave no objection to his killing for food. But he supposed that she had no qualm about necessary killing. After all, he wasn't eliminating every single member of the different species they happened to dine on, only the individuals that they planned to consume.

Bra did her part providing for them as well. Raditz wasn't sure how she did it, but every day when he returned, she had managed to procure fruit or some other edible vegetation to go along with their meal. If he had been better at observation and mathematical calculations, he would have been able to figure out that they had consumed far more plant material than their tiny island could produce. But he wasn't and, therefore, he simply accepted the daily appearance of Bra's procured provisions at face value.

So it was that the duo not only provided for themselves, but they also shared with one another what food they had obtained during the day, thus providing for each other. A small grin tugged at Raditz's mouth as he thought about sharing yet another meal with her that evening. He wondered, _Will she like some of the same 'fish' meat I just sampled? The meat around the tail seemed to be the tastiest. Perhaps she will find that to her liking._

The saiyan's grin suddenly fell as he made a startling discovery. The reason why he felt nervous when he thought of her; why he felt unworthy when she offered him food or drink; and why he was so eager to please her. _Oh Mele... I have been courting her and I did not even realize it!_ One of the first rituals in saiyan courtship was the offering, acceptance, and reciprocation of food. To share a meal with another, in their culture, was very significant, since saiyans required a lot of calories to survive. Offering a share of one's own meal to a potential mate signified one's willingness to make a sacrifice for the welfare of the other.

Once Raditz made that realization, he couldn't help but wonder, _How long has this been going on?_ He thought for a few minutes, retracing his short history with Bra back to its beginning. _I have been making attempts at a courtship since the moment I met her in that diner on Planet Aphis,_ he concluded. _Though I did not procure her a meal with my own hands, I _did_ provide her with one. And she accepted. Such has been the case ever since. Until our arrival on this planet, that is. It was here that she first reciprocated... and by doing so, she has completed the first ritual of courtship. Every night since then, our sharing of food has solidified that first step._

A wider grin than before spread across the saiyan's face. The feeling of unease he had been experiencing was gone, replaced by a sensation of wonder. He was amazed that he had stumbled upon a young woman in a place where he had least expected and had instinctively begun to demonstrate his worth to her. While he had certainly shared a bed with many females during his adult years, he never imagined that he would find one that he would genuinely pursue for a mate. What was even more remarkable was the fact that she not only accepted his endeavors, but she had eventually answered his efforts similarly.

But then Raditz's grin fell. He had gotten so caught up in his delight that he had forgotten something very important. _Bulla is not a saiyan,_ he reminded himself with regret. _She likely has no idea the significance of our nightly exchanges. How could she when she has no knowledge of my people's lost culture? The act of sharing food might be a common occurrence on her home world. Or perhaps, she only shares her provisions with me because she feels obligated. I should not have come to such quick conclusions. I doubt she has any interest in me._

Another unsettling thought crossed the saiyan's mind. _Even if she _were_ aware of the courtship rituals, I still could not become her mate. It is forbidden because she is not of saiyan blood. If I were to pursue this further, neither Nappa nor Prince Vegeta would allow it to continue. Should I choose to make her my mate and should they discover this blasphemy, Bulla would be extremely lucky if the prince killed her before Nappa had his way with her. As for myself... I would be lucky if they killed me before I had to watch them destroy her._

Raditz was uncertain what he should do. He was unwilling to see any harm come to Bra, especially as a result of his actions. At the same time, the thought of extinguishing their budding courtship left him in a state of dismay. Unfortunately, he didn't have much time to make a decision. Regrettably, he knew what that decision was going to be.

The saiyan's attention returned to the present moment. He noted that he had spent a little longer on this island than he had wanted to. He rose to his full height, patted the dust and debris from his armor, and was glad to discover that he was barely damp. By the time he returned to where he had left off in his extermination, he'd be completely dry.

Raditz launched himself into the air and quickly resumed his mission. He had wasted too much time lost in his thoughts. He wanted to be off of this planet by tomorrow afternoon. If not for himself, then for Bra. He could sense that her patience with his xenocide was growing thin. He had done his best to spare her of the slaughter as much as possible by starting at the furthest distance from their island and then working his way back towards her location. Unfortunately, he had come to the point in his progress that he'd be eliminating the matopoids in residence around their island tomorrow morning. She would no longer be protected from the evidence of his actions.

* * *

Four days and four nights had passed since the big argument and reconciliation. Four days that Bra spent finding menial tasks to occupy her time. Four nights that she spent with her saiyan companion, sharing their evening meal and light conversation.

While Bra had abandoned all hope of saving the matopoids, she was still riddled with guilt over their extermination. What plagued her the most was the fact that she hadn't even _tried_ to save them, even though she knew that whatever action she took, their fate would remain the same.

Since the blunette found that she could do nothing to help them, she instead tried her best to 'tune out' the progress of their elimination. She made a conscious effort to suppress her sensory of ki. Unfortunately, she worried about Raditz – he had nearly died, after all – and couldn't help but to tune into his energy signal every once in a while. When she did so, most of those times she could also feel the life forces of the matopoids dwindle. These sensations instantly made her sick with guilt and shame and she would have to quickly subdue her ki sense.

Despite the fact that Bra had conceded to the fact that the matopoids were destined to die, that didn't stop her from being curious about her theories concerning their intelligence and methods of communication. She spent her time overlooking the sea, watching their actions and trying to unravel their secrets. Although the matopoids were much more difficult to see during the day – their bio-luminescence couldn't be seen very well under the harsh sunlight – that was when she made her observations. She kept herself hidden from their view among the thickest foliage she could find that was also close to the shore. And now knowing what to look for in terms of aggression from the natives, she was much more careful than she had been when she had first arrived on this planet.

The first thing the teenager noted was that Raditz had been right about their appearances under the day light; they weren't as pleasing to look at. They had hard-shelled bodies, like crustaceans. Two large, bulbous eyes protruded from their heads. They had six pairs of long, fin-like legs that they could use to both crawl on the ocean floor and swim along the currents. But it was their mouths that were most hideous of all. They had two pairs of long, hard mandibles and several small, soft tissue proboscises protruding from their mouths.

It was from the hard-shelled mandibles that Bra discovered were the source of the barbs they launched at their enemies and prey. Since each matopoid had a total of four of these mandibles, they could fire up to four barbs at a given time. What she found particularly fascinating was that once a matopoid launched all four projectiles, it would retreat. She theorized that additional barbs took time to regenerate. Thus, a matopoid that had expended all of its barbs was completely defenseless.

The halfling also learned that even though the creatures didn't bio-luminescence during the day, the color of their exoskeleton still changed, depending upon the situation. When a matopoid changed its hue, it would start from a point in the center of their back and then spread across the rest of its body, like a human's blush would start from the neck and travel upwards until the entire face was pink. Fascinated by this discovery, she was determined to learn the secret of the matopoids' color-coded world.

It was on Bra's second day of observations that the patterns of their different uses of hue began to make sense. The easiest one to decipher was when they took the color red. She quickly made the connection that when the matopoids adopted a deep scarlet, they were hostile and attacked aggressively. Not only had she had witnessed a few combative interactions between matopoids, but she also had proof of this from her own personal experience with them.

From the few aggressive incidents she had witnessed between the sea creatures, the teen learned the meaning of a second color. When two or more matopoids sparred, eventually one would submit. Upon doing so, the red of its shell would instantly change to a dark green. She hypothesized that adopting this color allowed the retreating matopoid to blend in with its watery environment.

That evening, Bra enthusiastically shared what she had learned with Raditz. At first, he tried to scold her for taking such a risk; that she would put herself in danger to observe the matopoids. After reassuring him that she had taken precautions to ensure her safety, he settled down somewhat. He gave her his undivided attention as she explained what she had witnessed and recited her many theories and what she hoped to discover the following day.

The act of sharing her findings with someone had greatly reminded the teen of her home and family. She felt a sudden pang of homesickness that filled her eyes with tears; tears she was unwilling to shed. If Raditz had noticed the watery sound of her voice as she recalled her day's activities, he made no indication. When she had finished, she waited for a few words of encouragement or praise, something that would show her how impressed her saiyan companion was with the progress she had made. Such was the type of response she would always get from her family and she had come to expect it.

Instead, Raditz had been stoic for several minutes after she was done. Finally, he answered by reminding her that any discoveries she made would make no difference concerning the matopoids' fate. She was disheartened by this. Not because she had hoped that her findings would change his mind, but because he seemed completely unimpressed. However, when the saiyan headed towards his pod to retire for the evening, he bade her to be careful when she returned to the beach the next day while she continued her research and that he was eager to hear her new discoveries the following evening. Of course, this made her feel ecstatic, knowing that he was showing interest in how she spent her days.

On the third day of her study, Bra interpreted the meaning of a third color, and some evidence of the matopoids' intelligence. Late that morning, when the tide was at its lowest, a large school of fish had gotten trapped behind a sandbar. A small flock of matopoids had soon discovered the helpless animals. Their exoskeletons had shifted to a dull yellow, with one or two exceptions – those were more of a rusty orange color. Bra watched in fascination as the matopoids strategically surrounded their prey and all at once, they launched barbs at the creatures. It was the color yellow that she deduced must have a meaning related to the discovery of a food source, considering the feeding frenzy she had witnessed. The orange-red color, one she had seen in a small abundance on her first night on this world, still eluded her, as did all of the remaining colors of their repertoire.

Early in the evening on that third day, the blue-haired girl was forced to abandon her observations. It was then that the smell of rot, although still faint, began to drift towards her island upon the breeze. Reaching out her ki sense, she could feel that Raditz was drawing closer and closer to their island with each new battle against the matopoids. As much as she wanted to stay and learn from the creatures – time was growing short, after all – she couldn't tolerate the smell, knowing its cause. From then on, she stayed inland where the trees blocked some of the winds carrying the odor of decay and the scents of the other vegetation helped to mask it.

When she wasn't busy watching the matopoids, and before Raditz's progress brought him close to their island, Bra would go searching for food. Since she had to conceal her saiyan appetite from her companion, she was forced to consume a lot of calories during the day. Unfortunately, she had plucked their island clean of all fruit and vegetable matter by noon on the day following their big argument. This meant that she had to sneak off of her island a couple times each day in order to find sustenance. She always did so with extreme caution, ensuring that Raditz was too busy dealing with the matopoids to be bothered to check on her with his scouter. As an extra precaution, she kept her ki as low as she possibly could while she flew between islands.

Each day, the halfling would return to their island with a small cache of food. While Raditz provided enough to feed himself – and her as well, so long as she ate enough during the day, that is – she still felt an inexplicable desire to share in the food gathering duties. She got a small amount of enjoyment watching him try the different edible things she found during her excursions. And being able to share the responsibility of finding food made her feel like she wasn't the completely helpless girl that she had worked so very hard to appear to be. If Raditz had ever suspected that she had to leave their island to gather more food, he never indicated so. And she was thankful for that.

But now, here Bra found herself towards the end of the fourth day since she and Raditz had had their little spat and since come to an understanding. And, unfortunately, his mission objective had brought him too close to their island for her to have done much gallivanting that day. With her stomach rumbling, she cursed her lack of foresight. _How stupid could you be, Bra? You should have been harvesting food from the furthest islands first, working your way back to this one so that by the time Raditz's work brought him closer, you'd still have all the food on this island to gather without any risk of being discovered._ _Now you're stuck here with nothing to eat!_

To subdue her hunger, the teenager drank some water from her space pod's reservoir. There was about half of a tank remaining. All of the ice she had hoarded beneath the pod was gone. If Raditz didn't finish his mission soon, she'd soon have another problem to worry about. With her hunger pains temporarily alleviated, she reasoned with herself, _Don't beat yourself up, Bra... How were you to know what Raditz's plan of action was going to be anyway?_

As if her thoughts of Raditz could summon him, Bra noticed that his ki signature had begun to head in her direction. She figured that at his distance and rate of speed, he'd arrive in just under half an hour. To kill time, she headed towards her place among the trees where she could watch the bio-luminescence of the matopoids. She had made it her habit every night while she waited for him. After the sun set every day, as it had already done on this evening, she would sit and watch the ocean light up as dusk melted into night. Despite the stink of decay drifting in from the sea, she still found that the light show was very peaceful and soothing.

When the blunette reached her special viewing place, she was startled by what she saw. Or rather, by what she _didn't_ see. The ocean, which was once vibrant with the various colors of the matopoids, was now a sea that was nearly black and vacant. There remained only a small fraction of the creatures that had been there the day before. _What happened to them?_ she feared. _Raditz hasn't done anything to the ones living near here... Have they sensed the danger and fled? Or did they go out to sea to assist their brethren?_ There was only one thing she knew for certain: their absence broke her heart.

Bra couldn't stand the sight of the dead and empty ocean. She ran away from it, putting it out of her view. She ran without paying any mind to where she was going. Without realizing it, she was heading further away from their camp. Branches and bushes reached out and scraped along her skin as she tore through the vegetation. Had she not inherited the tough skin of the saiyan race, she would have been riddled with cuts and scratches.

Before the halfling realized it, she had broken through the foliage and found herself on the southern beach. She hadn't even realized she had come to the shore since she didn't have the glow of the matopoids' bio-luminescence to warn her. Instead, when she had come crashing out of the forest, she found herself on a dark, quiet, sandy shore. Under the dim starlight, she could see that this beach was filled with debris. And the smell! It was horrible! Worse than it had been the previous day when she had abandoned her observations of the matopoids.

Bra covered her nose and mouth with her left hand, unsuccessfully trying to block the stink of rot. Curious, she slowly strolled further out onto the beach. She was not afraid of being attacked here; the few matopoids on this side of the island were very far away from shore. During her entire stay on this planet, she hadn't been able to come so close to the surf.

Suddenly, the teenager stumbled over something. She managed to catch her balance before she fell upon the unknown object. After regaining her footing, she looked down to see what had almost caused her to fall flat on her face. Whatever it was, it was very lumpy and it stank.

Bra switched on the flashlight function of her smart-watch and shone it in the direction of the mystery object. When her eyes adjusted to the meager light source and discovered what she was standing over, she quickly stepped back, turned away, and tried not to wretch. A second, cautious glance confirmed her discovery. She had nearly tripped over the severed and mutilated head of a matopoid. Dead, its exoskeleton had no glow.

The blue-haired girl looked around her, realizing what the other debris littering the beach was. There were body parts scattered across the shore, having washed up with the tide. No wonder the survivors had fled. If the beach was this polluted with rotting carcasses, then the ocean had to be a cesspool of decay. _Oh Dende... How could this have happened?_ she asked herself. _The planet was bursting with matopoid life less than a week ago. I thought... I thought they'd have more time. It just... it just can't be... Raditz... he... he really is a... a... killer..._

Bra ran to the treeline and threw up the water she had recently drank.

* * *

When Raditz returned to their island, he already knew that Bra wasn't in their camp. He had come to expect this by now. Usually, she was perched in a tree in her favorite overlook, waiting for his return. It was the first place he went when he came back. What he didn't expect was that she wasn't there on this night. Stumped, he went to their camp, thinking that perhaps she had stayed there this evening. But she wasn't there either.

The saiyan discarded the aquatic animal that would be their dinner and clicked the buttons on his scouter. He found her ki on the southern shore. Her energy appeared to be a little erratic, for her, anyway, jumping up into the forties and then dropping back down into the teens. Alarmed, he headed to her immediately. He feared that she had been attacked by some matopoids. The fact that there were no longer any near their island didn't even register in his mind.

Raditz found Bra just inside of the treeline. She was seated on the ground with her back to the ocean – a very dangerous position had the matopoids been more abundant. She was hunched over herself, one hand clutching at her stomach, the other buried deep in her hair. Her head was bowed; her blue locks blocking his view of her face.

The saiyan dashed to her side, kneeling beside her. "Bulla! Are you alright?"

She shook her head in the negative.

"Speak to me. Tell me what's wrong."

"I- I can't..."

Raditz was feeling his panic rise. He watched Bra's suffering and was helpless to to anything about it without knowing its cause.

"Please tell me, Bulla. I can't help you unless you do."

She lifted her head and through a part in her hair, he could see her pale complexion. "I can't stay here anymore," she whispered. To look upon the state of her distress was heart-wrenching.

"Why? What happened?" he demanded. He felt a strong urge to fix the situation.

"You..."

Raditz was a little thrown back. "Me? What about me?"

"You killed them..."

Realization dawned on him then. The saiyan glanced up to the beach behind her. He could see the evidence of his progress, washed up upon the shore. He no longer felt panic. Instead, he felt irritated.

"We went over this already. I told you what my mission was. I told you that I was ordered to kill them all. So, yes. I _did_ kill them. Almost all of them. You knew that I was going to. And you know that I have to finish the job. I don't know why you're getting so upset about it all over again."

Bra was further nauseated by his harsh words. _He really is a cold-blooded killer. He said so himself, but I refused to believe it. And he doesn't even care what he's done! I can't believe that I thought he was a good person. I thought that maybe because Raditz is Uncle Goku's brother, that he'd be like him. How could I be so stupid? _

Slipping into human common, she quietly whimpered, "I want to go home..."

Of course, Raditz had no idea what she had just said, but the despair in her voice was clear. "I'm not going to change the course of my actions simply because this is upsetting you, Bulla. I have my orders and I'm going to follow them."

The teenager remained quiet as she fought off another wave of nausea, one made no easier by the wind carrying the stench of death.

In a quieter, more soothing voice, Raditz said, "Come back to camp with me, Bulla. I've brought something different for you to try for dinner. I think you'll enjoy it."

He held his hand out to her, expecting Bra to take it. She glanced at the appendage, and seeing the blood on it – the blood was from the game he had captured for their meal, but she didn't know that and mistook it for the blood of a matopoid – she smacked his hand away from her with a little more force than she had intended.

"No! Don't touch me! I'm not hungry!" she snapped.

Raditz withdrew his hand. He felt like he had been stung, but he wasn't sure if he was feeling physical pain in his hand or if it was the sting of her words that had wounded him. He was shocked, but only for a second. Then that shock morphed into anger. He stomped a few paces away from her, then stomped back and then forth again. His tail flicked with irritation and he clenched and unclenched his hands. He so badly wanted to take his anger out on something – anything! – but he used all of his willpower to restrain himself instead.

Slipping into saiyashi, the saiyan cursed, "Jitaba, damn it all! I try my best to appease you! I try to help you understand the reasons for when I cannot! I have done my best to respect your requests! So why must you be so difficult, wench? Why must you infuriate me? Why must you toy with me? I wonder sometimes if you are worth the hassle! And I am starting to believe that I should not have bothered saving your ass in that tavern! Perhaps you would have been better off as a sex slave on that trash-heap of a planet!"

Unknown to Raditz, Bra understood every word he yelled. Every accusation he spat caused her own irritation to flare. As her anger slowly burned, her nausea became forgotten. She gritted her teeth and took every biting word from him. Until his final sentence, that is. It was at that point that she could no longer contain her anger. And if there was one trait that she had that she inherited from both of her parents, it was her temper.

Without realizing what she was about to say, or _how _she was about to say it, Bra spat in a low and threatening voice, "Perhaps you are correct. Perhaps you ought to have left me-"

Bra stopped mid-sentence and slapped her hands over her mouth. With wide, blue eyes, she glanced up at her male counterpart to see if there was any indication that he had heard what she had said. When she saw that he was frozen in mid-stride, staring at her over his shoulder with a dumbstruck expression on his face, she realized that she was completed busted. She had snapped at him in saiyashi. And he had heard every word of it.

Slowly, Raditz turned to face her. "What did you just say?" he quietly asked her, slipping back into galactic standard without realizing it, for that had been the language he had come to communicate with her out of habit.

Bra shook her head and moved her hands away from her mouth just enough so she could speak. "Nothing," she answered meekly in galactic standard.

Raditz's temper suddenly flared to life once more. This time, he didn't restrain himself. In a tenth of a second, he had closed the distance between the two of them, grabbed the girl by her arms and hoisted her up to her feet. His cold, dark eyes bore into her shocked and terrified blue orbs.

"That didn't sound like 'nothing' to me, wench! Say it again!" He was almost positive that he had heard her correctly, but the possibility was so slim that he suspected that he had misheard her.

As the halfling stared into the eyes of the full-blood, she realized that she had made an error that was too great to cover up. If she lied now, he'd instantly know. _The hell with it,_ she decided. Her cowering countenance melted into a stony confidence that had been inherited from two of the most self-assured individuals in the entire universe. Raditz watched this transformation with a bit of awe and curiosity, but desperately clung onto the anger that was trying to slip away from him.

In saiyashi, Bra spoke calmly, firmly, and with authority. "I believe you heard me quite clearly the first time, warrior, when I expressed my agreement with your assessment. Perhaps you ought _not _to have meddled in my affairs and ought to have left me to my own devices in that tavern on... _**Aphis**_." The final word, she clumsily reverted to galactic standard as she didn't know how to translate that planet's name into saiyashi.

As the teen spoke, the last vestiges of Raditz's anger abandoned him, to be replaced by shock. Never in a million galactic years did he imagine that he would come across another individual other than Nappa and Prince Vegeta who could speak the language of the saiyans. As far as he knew, there remained only three individuals in the entire universe who could speak in his native language.

With widened eyes, he pushed himself away from the girl and gasped in saiyashi, "Who the hell are you?"

Bra didn't answer immediately. Instead, she took in his suddenly heightened state of anxiety and suspicion. Soothingly, she answered, "I remain the same individual that you have come to know thus far. My ability to share words with you in your ancestors' tongue does not change the fact that I am still Bulla."

The rollercoaster of Raditz's emotions once again spiked from shock to anger. "That is a pile of shit if I ever heard it!" he snarled. "I have known from the moment you introduced yourself under that alias that it was not your true name!"

"Alias or not, 'Bulla' is the name with which you have been supplied and it is the name that you shall continue to associate with me."

He growled. "I know nothing about you except that you have done nothing but spew lies!"

"You certainly know that not everything I have spoken was false. Only in matters concerning my identity have I been untruthful. For my own protection, I have deceived you, and, whether you believe me or not, I have deceived you for your own protection as well."

Raditz's anger faded as he conceded to her words. _She is right. If everything she said was a lie, I would have detected it. The only lie I have been able to catch her in, is that of her identity._

Still, the saiyan was bewildered by her ability to speak his people's language. "Tell me," he besought her, "how it is that you can speak saiyashi. I was led to believe that only those born of saiyan blood were permitted and had the ability to speak it."

A sad, but knowing, grin touched Bra's lips. "Within your request lies the answer you seek."

Raditz's eyes widened again. "You are saiyan-born..." The revelation came out more as a statement than a question needing confirmation. "But how? You look nothing like a saiyan!"

The blunette nodded. "You are correct. I have acquired the attributes of my appearance from my mother. I resemble my mother's native race moreso than my father's."

Again, Raditz was stunned. "You are a half-breed!"

"Yes."

"Impossible!" he declared. "Inter-species breeding was outlawed by King Vegeta at the conclusion of the Saiyan-Tsufuru War! The _abominations_ that were created as a result of the tsufuru's experimentation..."

Bra was a little amused. "Are you implying that I am an abomination?"

Raditz grew quietly, unsure how to answer. Finally, he said, "No."

"Good."

"But your father," he growled, "is a criminal. He broke one of our most sacred laws! Twice! Yours and your brother's existences are a testament to your father's blasphemous violation!"

Bra couldn't help herself. She began to chuckle, softly at first, but it slowly grew into a hearty laugh. _If only Raditz knew who he's talking about!_ she thought merrily. _If he knew that my Daddy is Vegeta, the prince of all saiyans, would he continue to call him a criminal? Or would he cower in fear for having done so?_

Raditz watched in confusion as the teenager laughed at some mysterious joke. "What is so amusing?" he growled.

Bra tried her best to stifle her laughter. She couldn't very well tell him why she was laughing at his accusation, so instead she said, "You _do_ acknowledge that King Vegeta has been dead for over two decades now, do you not?"

"Yes. But I do not see your point."

With her laughter settled and a lingering grin on her face, the blue-haired girl elaborated, "Do you believe that a law decreed by a long dead king holds any merit, considering that with so few saiyan survivors, to uphold such a law would result in the complete extinction of the saiyan race?"

Raditz thought over her point, having never before considered the implication. _She is correct,_ he concluded. _King Vegeta's law against inter-species breeding was created for the purpose of preserving the saiyan race. But to continue to uphold it now would only serve to ensure the elimination of the saiyans. Bulla's father must have known this when he made the decision to risk procreation with a non-saiyan. _

With Bra's father on his mind, Raditz inquired, "Who was your father, if you do not mind my asking."

"I am afraid I cannot divulge you of his identity," Bra answered. "It is already too dangerous that you have discovered my paternal heritage. I cannot tell you more. The less you know, the safer all parties shall be."

"I understand, but I have to ask, was he highborn? An upper-elite, perhaps?"

Bra was a little startled that Raditz had made that deduction. His guess was very close to the truth. Too close. He might have correctly guessed that she was in fact royalty if he hadn't immediately eliminated the probability as being an impossibility.

Bra replied, "I cannot answer that."

The saiyan grinned. "No need," he said. "You have already answered for me. Your speech patterns give you away. You speak too properly to have been born to a saiyan of a lower standing. Although I am very curious who your father is and how he survived Planet Vegeta's destruction, I will not pry. So long as you promise me one thing."

The blunette wasn't sure if she like where this was going, but prompted him to continue anyway. "And what promise might you ask of me?"

"Promise me that you will be honest with me if the truth should ever be crucial to your survival."

That was a difficult promise to make. Hesitantly, Bra answered, "I vow, that should any information I have become imperative, I will share it with you."

Satisfied, Raditz changed the topic. Slipping back into galactic standard, he suggested, "As much as I enjoy being able to converse in saiyashi, hearing you speak it in the highborn dialect makes me a little uncomfortable. If you don't mind, I'd prefer to use this language instead."

Bra nodded. "Yea, that's fine. Better this way anyway, I think. Not that anyone would likely know what language we're speaking when we use saiyashi, but I'd rather not give away the fact that I'm part saiyan. I know saiyans have sort of a bad reputation." In a more solemn tone, she said, "It's why my dad, my brother, and my uncle's family were all killed. Because they were saiyans."

Raditz felt awkward as he watched the halfling bite her lower lip. He was afraid that the reminder of her family's deaths would push her already emotional state over the edge. If she started crying, he didn't know what he should do. He wasn't accustomed to showing concern and offering emotional support. He could see that tears were threatening to spill from her eyes and he panicked.

Quickly trying to get Bra's mind off of her deceased kin, the saiyan requested, "Please come back to camp with me, Bulla. I have found us something different for dinner. We should probably start cooking it before it spoils."

The blue-haired girl looked up at the dark-haired man with eyes full of sorrow. She blinked away her unshed tears, wiping away the moisture at the corners of her eyes. Slowly, she rose to her feet.

"Okay," Bra agreed. "But I don't know if I'll be able to eat anything. I lost my appetite a while ago." The assault on her nose from the rotting carcasses caused her stomach to lurch again.

Feeling a little disappointed that their meal wouldn't likely go as he had earlier planned, Raditz led the way away from the beach with Bra falling into step beside him. "If you aren't feeling well, don't force yourself."

When they returned to their camp, Raditz fried the fish-animal over a fire he started with his ki. To his delight, Bra managed to sample some of the meat and keep it down. She didn't eat much, despite how little she had eaten that entire day. The teen didn't stay up much later after that and retired to her pod to sleep the night away.

As Raditz finished off the rest of the food, he thought about all that had been revealed to him that day. His courtship of Bra and whether or not to continue it. Her identity as a saiyan half-breed. And the saiyan puritan laws that were essentially void. His mind and heart had come to an agreement and thus, he came to a decision.

Silently, the saiyan vowed, _I will continue to court you, Bulla. I do not care who you really are. Saiyan, half-breed, or something else entirely, I do not care. Nor do I care if Prince Vegeta or Nappa object. I will do my damnedest to prove my worth to you so that you might accept me as your mate. And if I should fail, then I am not worthy of you._

* * *

**Author's Notes:**  
Saiyashi vs. Saiyago – I recognize that most DBZ fanfiction authors opt for _saiyago_,the Japanese (I'm assuming) title for the saiyan language. However, I wanted to give it a title that was a little unique, so I chose to call it _saiyashi _instead. I did slip in the use of _saiyago_ (via Bulma) as a bit of a tribute to its more common use in DBZ fandom.  
On another note, we are now one-third of the way through this story. We've come a long way, but I feel like I've barely gotten into the real meat of the story yet. I know that most of you are sitting on the edge of your seats wondering _"When will Vegeta show up?"_ The answer is: Soon.


	11. Lesson Eleven

**Author's Note:** A _**bold and italicized**_ word within dialogue indicates a word spoken outside of the current language in use (typically this will be galactic standard) that the other character(s) don't understand (but the reader does).

* * *

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Eleven  
Mele's Gift_

_ One of the most awkward and embarrassing moments in a child's life comes on that day that he or she has 'the talk' with one of his or her parents. Lucky for me, since I'm the product of an inter-species relationship, I got to have 'the talk' with both of my parents._

_ I have to say that the talk I had with Momma was like most talks that other human mothers had with their preteen daughters, except for the fact that she probably described the details of sexual maturity a little more scientifically than other mothers would have likely done. I guess that made the talk a little easier for me to get through, too. It was a little awkward, but having the scientific approach made it rather painless to listen to. Other than that, Momma's talk with me was pretty standard, I suppose. _

_ It was the unexpected talk I received from Daddy that mortified me._

_ I was nearly thirteen years old and had already been experiencing the many changes that came with puberty. I understood most of the phases that I was going through, thanks to Momma's talk, but there were things going on inside of me that I didn't understand, couldn't possibly understand because I simply wasn't aware of them. At the time, I was getting into trouble at school – fighting, mostly – and I had been sent home on a few occasions for my aggressive behavior. _

_ The fourth time I was sent home early, it came with a warning that the next time would result in an expulsion from school. That was when Momma insisted that Daddy step in. On that afternoon, I was in my room, lying on my bed, idly tossing a ball into the air and catching it while stewing over the confrontation that I had had that afternoon with one of my male classmates. A knock on my door interrupted me from those thoughts, and in stepped Daddy without waiting for me to answer his knock._

_ Daddy took a seat at my vanity. He looked a little strange sitting there, all hard and sharp features against a background of frilly pinks and plush animals. He looked very uncomfortable, too, hesitant to make eye contact with me. That was fine with me. I continued to toss my ball as if he wasn't there while I waited for him to state his business. I had an idea that it had something to do with the fight I had had that afternoon in school, and I was waiting to hear his lecture about my behavior. Dende knows that I had heard enough of it from Momma during the car ride home._

_ When Daddy finally spoke, he did so in a tone that I wasn't expecting from him. I expected to hear anger, disappointment, and disapproval. Instead, he was very neutral and cautious._

_ "Tell me what happened today," he requested._

_ I sighed as I caught my ball. "A bunch of boys were being jerks today. They were all daring each other to kiss certain girls... girls that no one would want to kiss otherwise."_

_ "For what purpose?" Daddy asked._

_ I sat up. "I donno. To get a rise, I guess? To make fun of the girls they were kissing? The girls that they were making fun of are ones that are terribly shy or they're not very pretty..."_

_ "You are neither of those things. How did you come to get involved?"_

_ "Well..." I hesitated. How to put this in such a way that Daddy would understand? "I guess, I'm kind of an outcast, in a way. I think I intimidate boys. Y'know... cuz I come from a rich family and I'm really smart and..." I trailed off, not wanting to admit the final thing._

_ "And what else?"_

_ "Well, they suspect that I'm strong. Abnormally strong. And it's only gotten worse lately cuz I've beaten up a couple of boys already."_

_ Daddy barked with laughter. "Is that all?" he asked. "So did one of these boys attempt to kiss you this afternoon?"_

_ I nodded._

_ "And the unlucky bastard paid for his transgression by having his ass kicked. Am I right?"_

_ I nodded again._

_ "Well, then, I don't see a problem here."_

_ I was stunned. Momma hadn't seen the situation this way. She had been very upset that I had used my saiyan strength against a poor, defenseless human boy. But Daddy saw things from my point of view. Sort of._

_ "That boy who tried to claim you... You clearly were not interested in him as a mate, correct?"_

_ Daddy's terminology suddenly made me feel extremely uncomfortable. I wasn't sure how we had gone from the topic of fighting to that of choosing a mate. I should have been tipped off on what was to come, but I had grown so accustomed to Daddy's strange epitaphs. I brushed his bizarre terminology aside as just another of his linguistic quirks._

_ "No. I'm not interested in him at all like that," I answered his question._

_ He nodded. "You acted according to your instincts, then." _

_ That was when Daddy started behaving a little oddly. He averted his eyes as his cheeks blushed. He began to nervously tap a finger on his opposite bicep and his left leg grew jittery. Finally, he stammered, "I assume that you... uh... that you've started... uh... that you have... your woman's... your repro-"_

_ "Oh my, Dende!" I cut him off, realizing what he was trying to ask me. He wanted to confirm that I had started having my menstrual cycle. "Yes, I have, if you must know! So please don't ask again!"_

_ Daddy nodded and he seemed to relax, but only slightly. I guess, to make it a little easier for him to continue the discussion, he switched over to saiyashi._

_ "In saiyan culture, the age when a girl became a woman was referred to as having received Mele's Gift."_

_ "Mele's Gift?" I repeated, also switching to saiyashi._

_ "Yes. Mele's Gift. The gift of fertility. It is called Mele's Gift because it is said that d'Mele gu Saiya was the mother of the first saiyans, and therefore is the mother of all saiyans. When Mele returned to the heavens to watch over the planet of my birth, she gave her saiyan daughters the ability to bear children so that the saiyan people could grow and prosper."_

_ I was uncertain how to respond to such a piece of saiyan religion, especially while hearing Daddy share it in a voice that was so reverent. I remained quiet and allowed him to continue._

_ "When a female reaches... sexual maturity... she becomes very particular about whom she wishes to... mate with." I could tell from Daddy's frequent hesitations that he was having a difficult time having this discussion with me, his only daughter, and having to come to terms with the fact that I was already a young woman, old enough by saiyan culture to find a mate and start my own family. He continued, "When a male suitor attempts to court such a female and she has no interest in him, she will behave aggressively towards him in order to preserve her... her virginity." _

_ On the last word, Daddy's face became bright crimson. I would have laughed at his discomfort, had my own face not been on fire from the embarrassment of having had to hear him say that word. But what he had said also made perfect sense. It was like a light bulb turned on in my head. It explained perfectly why I was reacting so violently towards these boys that – genuinely or not – showed some sort of sexual interest in me._

_ I found that I was curious to learn more, despite the awkward conversation. "What if the girl _was_ interested? How would she act?"_

_ Daddy pondered this. "There are certain phases and rituals throughout the courtship process," he answered. "But I suppose that it is not much different that Earth courtship customs."_

_ I was a little enamored by the idea. Getting a little excited about my fairytale conception of saiyan culture, I slipped back into human common when I asked, "Like dates and dinners and tokens of affection?"_

_ "Essentially, yes." Daddy, too, had returned to using the human language._

_ "What happens if a girl likes a boy but the boy doesn't like her back? Does _she_ get beaten up?" I inquired with a grin._

_ A smirk graced Daddy's lips, no doubt seeing the mirth in my eyes. "Sometimes."_

_ My grin grew wider. "Well, that's not very gentlemanly!"_

_ Daddy teased back, "Well, saiyans aren't gentle men."_

_ I laughed at his joke. But as my laughter died down, the darker truth to Daddy's joke caused my thoughts to go cold. It made me think of a horrible scenario wherein a female was unable to turn away a male's advances. In my situation, I was clearly much stronger than my human, would-be suitors. I had easily thwarted their intentions. But what if I had been born on Planet Vegeta? What if I wasn't strong enough to defend myself? I found that I was compelled to know._

_ With a tone that was much more serious than before, I asked, "What if a girl who grew up on your home world was not strong enough to protect herself against a boy who... wanted her?"_

_ Daddy met my eyes then, and in his eyes, was an emotion I couldn't describe. As he looked away, he said, "An honorable male would respect the female's rejection. He could choose to abandon his efforts to court her. Or he could choose to be persistent and attempt to persuade her to accept him, as unlikely as that might be."_

_ "And if he was _not_ an honorable man?"_

_ A fierce look overcame Daddy's face. In an icy tone that sent shivers down my spine, he said, "You will never have to worry about such a man."_

_~from The Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Age 759, Third Galactic Quarter, Day 56 (Approx. 21 August, 759)  
Location: Planet Opula

The effects of the sleeping agent had not fully worn off by the time Bra's space pod landed on the surface of Planet Opula. With a wide yawn, she slowly climbed out of her pod and into the wide, open space that served as one of many space ports on this world. She was grateful that this planet had such a port, since she had come to discover that planets without such a luxury resulted in very rough landings. She cracked open an eye to see that Raditz had already emerged from his pod and was approaching her.

Sleepily, the blunette asked, "So, what are we... yawn ...on this planet for?"

Raditz grinned with a hint of amusement twinkling in his eye. "We're here to refuel. We don't have enough for the next leg of our journey. Ironic, isn't it, that we were just on a planet full of fuel, but in its unrefined state, it was as useful as a _**lorgna **_on a _**thystyph**_."

Of course, Bra had no idea what a lorgna or a thystyph was, and therefore had no clue what Raditz was talking about. Because she didn't understand the analogy, she instead focused on the other part of his sentence; the part about Planet 4DR14. The saiyan had inadvertently reminded his young companion about the recent xenocide he had committed upon the matopoids and her expression reflected her dismay over their extermination. He quickly realized his foible and pushed the conversation towards safer topics.

"While we're waiting for our pods to be refueled, I thought you might like to explore the city. Luxus is the capitol of Opula. There are many things to experience here."

With a bit of spite, Bra said, "So we're not here to mass murder anything then, huh?"

The jab soured Raditz's mood. "No. Opula is a free world. It's a place where many travelers come to relax and businessmen come to unwind. You could say that it's a destination hot-spot."

"Oh, like a... _**resort**_," Bra supplied with a human word even though she knew Raditz wouldn't know what she had said, but her tone indicated that she understood the concept being explained to her.

"If that is your native word for this sort of place, then, yes. Opula is a _**ree-zort**_."

The blunette giggled at his butchering of the human pronunciation, allowing her to forget about her troubled thoughts. "Okay, then. Let's see what makes this place such a big deal."

They exited the hanger and after a labrynth of halls and corridors, they finally made it into the open air. To Bra's surprise, they were standing on a vast balcony located several dozen stories above the ground. Surrounding them, there were four more tall, circular towers like the building from which they had emerged. Their black, marbled surfaces were a complimentary contrast against the emerald green sky. Lighter green clouds drifted lazily above the buildings.

Raditz led Bra to a set of clear, glass doors set into the side of an equally clear, vertical, glass tube that ran up and down the exterior of the building. A platform descended from above and the doors opened, allowing them access into the tube. The platform, like the rest of the elevator, was completely transparent. Bra couldn't help but to cast her gaze downward as she stepped onto the platform. If it weren't for the slight distortion of the glass, she'd swear she was standing on nothing.

The doors closed behind them and the elevator began its long descent. The teenager watched in awe as the buildings seemed to grow taller around her as they drew closer and closer to the ground level. Airborne vehicles and individuals in flight filled the air with greater and greater density as their elevation decreased. What amazed her most of all, was the complete absence of any obscenely bright or obnoxiously crowded advertisements. Her hometown of West City was blanketed in ads, especially in the downtown areas. By contrast, Luxus appeared to be clean, tidy, and efficient. When they finally reached the ground, they joined other pedestrians and weaved their way through the city.

What Bra soon discovered was that the obsidian buildings they had left behind were not even considered part of the city itself. The actual city of Luxus looked like anything _but_ a city, at least, by Bra's understanding of a city. Downtown Luxus was made up of buildings no taller than five stories so that the beautiful green sky remained spread out overhead. All of these buildings – shops, restaurants, stages, hotels, and the occasional office spaces – were architectural masterpieces. They weren't bland like the black towers of the space port. Each of these buildings were unique in design, yet their designs complimented one another. The rounded designs of one building were hinted upon in the designs of its neighbor. The materials used in another building could be seen in the accents of another on the other side of the boardwalk.

Yet another thing that fascinated the halfling was the fact that there were no streets at ground level. All vehicular transportation was via flying automobiles. This allowed the ground on either side of the boardwalk to be perfectly manicured with the many exotic species of the native flora. The grasses and trees were a mix of reds and purples. Several times, Bra had stopped to run her fingers over the velvety leaves of these plants.

Lastly, the other travelers and residents of the city left Bra in a state of wonder. She had certainly seen many varieties of aliens during her brief visit to Planet Aphis. But there seemed to be far more varying species coming and going on this world. And there was such a stark contrast between the clientele of Aphis and the customers of Opula. On Aphis, they were clearly very poor or oppressed or criminal in appearance. They were rude or seeking some way to make some quick money. Here, the people were polite and laid back. They were very rich and refined. So rich, in fact, that Bra felt poor by comparison. She tried not to stare at the other pedestrians, knowing that it was rude to do so, but she simply couldn't help herself from admiring their alluring appearances and expensive attire.

Raditz eventually led them to a small building that was away from the busy boardwalk. This building wasn't as ornate as many of those they had passed during their walk, but it was beautiful in its simplicity. When they entered, Bra realized that it was a hotel, even though it felt more like a mansion with its large entrance hall, double stairway, and exquisitely furnished seating room. There was no front counter where clerks typically checked guests in and out. Instead, there was a small wait-staff on hand, ready to accept new guests and show them to a room.

The saiyan spoke to one such employee and while the clerk went to check on the availability of a room, Bra asked, "I thought we were going to see the city?"

"We will," Raditz answered. "But I thought that perhaps you'd like to freshen up a bit first."

The teenager almost took offense to that. She was typically very immaculate when it came to her hygiene and appearance. But she had to admit that it had been quite some time since she last had a real shower, and even then, it was a quick and freezing shower. While her space pod went through a sanitation phase prior to awakening her from each hibernation state, it wasn't as thorough or psychologically satisfying as a real shower with real water running down her body. Therefore, Bra took no offense and was open to the idea.

"That sounds wonderful," she agreed.

* * *

And having that shower was indeed quite wonderful. Bra relished in the sensation of having clean, fresh, _hot_ water running through her hair and down her body. She lathered her hair twice with the shampoo that the wait-staff had stocked in the bathroom, both times working the shampoo into her hair until it felt thick and heavy with foamy suds. The girl cranked the temperature up as high as she could tolerate it. The heat prickled her flesh, in a good way, and left her skin in a rosy hue. She stayed in the shower for longer than she typically would have spent, drawing it out as long as possible. But the shower couldn't last forever and she reluctantly shut off the water.

The blunette was dismayed to have to put on the same attire she had stripped out of prior to taking her shower. The clothing was clean – she had been wearing them during every sanitation phase within her space pod – but, psychologically, they didn't seem fresh to her. Unfortunately, her only other option for clothes were the bloodied apparel still lurking in the depths of her backpack, so she was stuck wearing the scrubs that Raditz had acquired for her so long ago on Planet Aphis.

Once dressed, Bra exited the bathroom and stepped into her bedroom. The room Raditz had rented was more of a suite than a room. They had a main seating area with couches to relax on and a dining area in front of a set of bay windows that revealed a wonderful view of the distant mountains. Bra hadn't spent much time to take in the other luxuries of their suite prior upon their arrival. As soon as she saw a set of opened double doors, she had bee-lined through them and into the bedroom on the other side, knowing that she'd find a bathroom as soon as she did so.

Now that she was in what she considered to be her bedroom, since she had unofficially claimed it first, the halfling took her time to observe the place where she'd be spending the night. The room had all of the standard furnishings. The bed was very large and very soft. She ran her hand over the coverlet, enjoying the plushy feeling beneath her fingers. There was a small night stand on either side of the bed. A dresser and a walk-in closet were both available for guests who were planning an extended visit. Behind the curtains was another set of bay windows with a desk and cushioned chair placed in front of it. A few leafy plants decorated two of the room's the corners. Yes, everything was definitely very standard for a hotel bedroom, except for the fact that all of the furnishings' designs were otherworldly, crafted in such ways that seemed to defy physics.

When Bra finished her inspection, she noticed that the double doors leading into the main seating area of their suite had been closed. She definitely remembered leaving them open when she had passed through them. _Raditz must have shut them,_ she theorized. _Did he do it to give me some extra privacy or something?_ With her mind on the saiyan, it came to her attention that she could hear his muffled voice from the other side of the doors. He was speaking too quietly to decipher what he was saying, but she noticed that his tone was very submissive and subdued. _I wonder who he's speaking to?_ she wondered.

The teenager cracked one of the two doors open so that she could listen in on Raditz's conversation. She didn't feel quite right eavesdropping on him, but she couldn't subdue her curiosity. Through the crack in the door, she saw that he was alone, seated near the window with his back to her. _He's talking on his scouter,_ she realized. He was quiet for several long moments. She waited with anticipation for him to speak again so that she could garner a clue that might reveal to whom he was speaking or what subject the conversation might be about. As she spied on him, she clumsily bumped the ajar door causing it to creak loud enough for him to hear. Busted, she played it cool and opened the door the remaining way and strolled into the main seating area as if she were meant to be there and was doing no wrong.

Raditz had turned towards the girl as he heard her open the door and enter the room but didn't immediately acknowledge her presence. Into the scouter he said, in galactic standard, "I understand." A pause. "Yes." Another pause. "Yes." Pause again. "Very well." And then he ended the transmission.

Bra plopped down into the other chair opposite Raditz. She pretended as if she had had no interest in his scouter conversation. "So when are we going to check out the city?" she asked.

"As soon as I've had a chance to shower."

The blue-haired girl became confused. "You haven't showered yet? I thought you would have..." She trailed off as she noticed something very important that hadn't come to her attention earlier; there was no second set of bedroom doors like she assumed there was.

To confirm this realization, Raditz replied with a grin, "I was waiting for you to finish your shower. You were in there for quite some time. I hope you left some hot water for me."

By now, Bra's face was crimson with discomfort as her thoughts raced. _There's only one bedroom! Why did he get a suite with only _one _bedroom? What is he thinking? He's not expecting to share the bed, is he? What a creeper!_ She could feel her heart begin to race and anxiety pool in her stomach. She was feeling very nervous and didn't know what to say or do.

The saiyan noticed the troubled expression on his ward's face. "Is there something wrong?"

The teen met his eyes. "There's only one bed..." she meekly responded.

Raditz was quiet for a long while as he gauged the girl's expressions. He knew what she was alluding to. He could easily see that the thought of having to share a bed with a man was extremely daunting to her, even if it was merely platonic. And that could only mean one thing. _She has never shared a bed with a man before,_ he deduced. _This means she must be pure (a pleasant thought) and likely much younger than I originally thought (which could be very unfortunate)._ Despite his theories, he found that Bra's sudden discomfort and bashfulness to be very endearing.

To clear any misunderstandings, the saiyan finally revealed the truth. "There weren't any two-room suites available. This was the hotel's next best accommodations. But don't fret. I shall sleep out here on one of the sofas. You may have the bedroom to yourself. That is, as long as you allow me to use the shower first."

Bra was completely relieved that her assumptions were false. Although it had appeared that Raditz's intention was for them to share the bed – and possibly do other things of which the idea of such made her face red all over again – she was glad that she was wrong. She felt horrible that she had been so quick to falsely accuse him of something so sinister, even though she had only done so in the privacy of her thoughts. Despite her self-inflicted humiliation, she was pleasantly surprised that he was being so considerate to her. He was the one who had paid for the room. It would have been only fair that he get the better sleeping arrangements. But he had already decided that he would let her be the one to have a comfortable sleep.

She wasn't sure what to say, especially because she had very nearly accused him of being a sexual predator, but managed to stutter, "Th-thank you. That's very nice of you."

Raditz grinned but said nothing else on the topic. He rose from his seat and headed towards the bathroom. "I'll be out in about ten minutes. Then we can go."

* * *

They leisurely walked through the city for the next few hours. They took in the sights – that is, Bra took in the sights of the city while Raditz took in the sight of Bra's awed expressions whenever she saw something new and exciting. They briefly visited several of the local eateries, sampling the exotic cuisines that were available. With Bra's identity as a half-breed revealed, she no longer had to hide her appetite from Raditz, which was a huge burden off of her shoulders.

At one point, the duo made their way through an outdoor market. Again, Bra marveled at the wondrous things that were available for sale. Occasionally, she would stop at a garment shop and admire the soft, silky feel of the fabrics and the fancy, elaborate fashion designs. Raditz patiently waited for her while she perused clothing racks, amused by her fulfillment of typical female stereotypes. He even suspected that she would ask him to purchase an outfit or two for her; in the past, he had had a few potential sex-partners ask him for fanciful gifts, such as clothing, as a sort of payment for their company. Being so used to hearing such requests, he was surprised when Bra never asked him for anything.

What Raditz _didn't_ expect was the incident at the tech shop they passed. Bra had caught sight of something in the front window of the shop and had doubled back and rushed inside without so much as a word. By the time Raditz had caught up with her inside, she was already deeply engaged in conversation with the owner of the store. The clerk retrieved the piece of hardware from the display case and handed it over to Bra. She carefully inspected the item. Raditz had no idea what it was, but it was definitely far more advanced than anything he had seen before.

Finally, Bra was done with her inspection of the hardware. But she no longer appeared as impressed with it as she had been when she first saw it in the window. Raditz easily deduced that she was feigning her sudden lack of enthusiasm in order to haggle with the clerk. The shop keep asked her if she was interested in purchasing it. She was indecisive; the clerk was asking a lot for it and she said that it didn't quite meet the specifications she was seeking. The clerk offered a reduced price. To Raditz's astonishment, Bra continued to dicker with the owner. She managed to get him down to half of the price and to throw in a few tools.

When the teenager and the shop keep came to their agreement, that was when Raditz again suspected that Bra would turn to him and ask him for the money to make her purchase. Instead, she pulled a small box from the front pocket of the garment she called a _hoodie_ and opened it up. Inside the small velvety box was nestled a pair of large, red stones set inside gold studded earrings. Bra stared at the jewelry for several moments. Raditz realized that she intended to pay for the hardware by offering one or both of the precious stones to the clerk. And he could see that making such a trade was going to come at a great cost to her. He didn't know the story behind the earrings, but he knew that they had a sentimental value that far exceeded their monetary worth.

Before Bra could offer the earrings as payment, Raditz had stepped forward. He didn't want to see her troubled with the regret of parting with the jewelry. He didn't know why she had to have the hardware so badly that she was considering such a sacrifice. But the purchase must have been very important to her. Despite Bra's protests, Raditz insisted that he pay for it himself. He had plenty of credits that had accumulated over his years of servitude to Frieza – not nearly as much as Prince Vegeta had stored away, but it was enough that he would be able to retire comfortably, if he survived long enough to see old age, that is – and he had very little to spend those credits on. So it was not much trouble to buy the item for Bra.

The blunette thanked her saiyan companion for his generosity. She really hadn't wanted him to pay for the microchip and the tools she acquired with it. She already felt incredibly indebted to him and this purchase only exacerbated the feeling. But he had left her with little choice. As they left the tech shop, he asked her why she needed the microchip. She had an idea in mind, but wasn't ready to include him in her plans should she be unsuccessful. She merely told him that she planned to tinker with it. He knew that she was being very elusive, but didn't press the issue.

They walked the strip for nearly half an hour when hunger began to set in. While they had sampled some of the various foods available, they really hadn't eaten enough to completely satisfy their saiyan appetites. As they passed the next restaurant, the heavy aroma of roasting meat wafted from the open door to entice them. Raditz offered to buy something to eat. Bra said she would find somewhere nice in the adjoining park where they could enjoy their meal. With Luxus being a city that accommodated high class clientele, the saiyan was not afraid to allow the girl to enter the park unescorted.

After purchasing two large haunches of meat, Raditz headed for the park, scanning the pedestrians for a familiar head of blue hair. When he finally spotted her, she had joined a group of spectators watching a pair of street musicians. He joined Bra without her really noticing his arrival; she was so enraptured by the performers.

The halfbreed watched and listened with undivided attention. One male and one female, both almost humanoid if not for their second set of arms, each played a stringed instrument while simultaneously dancing with one another. The purple-haired female musician had a smaller instrument; held almost like a violin, except that the bottom was held at her shoulder rather than her chin. The orange-haired male had a much larger instrument and held his similar to a guitar, but with two sets of hands, he needn't a strap to secure the large instrument to his body. Both instruments were very long and very slender; they were barely wider than the furthest strings were spaced apart. Bra couldn't fathom how these foreign instruments projected their music, having nothing that appeared to amplify their sounds.

But how rich their music was! The female's song was a high pitched rhythm with a fast tempo. It was whimsical, like an old pirate's song. The male played a tune that was much deeper in pitch and slightly slower in speed. His song, sounding like electric bass, was a stark contrast from the woman's classical piece, yet the two tunes complimented each other and fit together like two pieces of a puzzle.

As the two musicians played their pieces, they circled and danced around one another. The female appeared playful and flirty with her counterpart. The male seemed aloof, yet assertive. It was as if their music and dancing told a story of a young woman who was vying for the attention of a handsome young man who had caught her fancy. At least, that was Bra's interpretation.

The female performer continued to prance around her companion, drawing closer and closer to him. Only when the female came within inches of the male did he truly acknowledge her. His music and his dancing became a little more aggressive every time she came close to him. But on her third approach, the male's angry dismissal was too late. Faster than even Bra's eyes could see, the two instruments had swapped owners. The smaller, feminine instrument was now in the hands of the larger male and the larger, more masculine instrument had been claimed by the female.

The amazing thing about the swap was that both musicians played the opposite instruments with as much skill and fluidity as their original ones. It was the way they played their new instruments that was different. The female, who was now playing the long bass strings, did so in such a way that almost seemed to taunt her partner. She played a deep, fast, intense rhythm, as if she were bragging about her score. The male, now wielding the smaller, lighter strings, played a tune that was even faster than the one the female had played when she had been using it. His tone sounded angry, desperate, and finally, apologetic.

For a fourth time, the female approached the male. And again the instruments swapped hands. This time, the male, with his reclaimed original instrument, sounded loud and jovial and celebratory. The female, once again playing the smaller strings, played a tune that was slow, sad, and rejected. Their dancing matched the moods of their songs; his was full of energy and hers was withdrawn.

And then the male, in the midst of his dancing, turned in such a way that he was facing his partner, and saw how melancholy she had become. His happy and excited tone suddenly became concerned. He approached the female, playing a cautious and curious tune. Her answer was a short rebuff and she danced away from him. He called to her again and again he approached her. She played a harmony that wasn't as harsh as the first and when she danced away, she didn't move so far from him. A third time, he beckoned her. And this time, when she answered, her playful spirit had started to return. The male responded with a happier tone of his own. And then, together, they played a melody that was full of life and merriment as they shared a final dance in the circle of spectators that had formed.

When the song came to a close, the audience applauded their approvals; some even going so far as to toss down some coin for the performing couple. Only then did Bra withdraw her attention from the entrancing musicians and acknowledge Raditz' presence.

"Oh, that was wonderful!" the teen said with a radiant smile.

"It was certainly entertaining," Raditz agreed as he handed a shank of meat to his companion. In truth, he had spent most of the performance watching Bra's reactions. Her emotions were so open and readable, not at all like he was used to from his normal traveling comrades. He was fascinated simply by watching her reactions to the everyday things that were common and familiar to him, yet were new and exciting to her.

They continued their stroll through the park as they ate in companionable silence. The two suns were quickly approaching the horizon. As dusk neared, the emerald sky shifted into a deep forest green. By the time they had finished their meal, they found themselves near a vast lake. The number of pedestrians had tapered off quite considerably, offering them some substantial privacy. They took a seat near the edge of the water as it reflected the last vestiges of daylight. The vibrant colors bled away from their immediate surroundings to be replaced by darker hues. Behind them, the lights of the city's night hours came to life.

The duo sat in the growing darkness, neither of them truly hindered by the lack of light due to their saiyan enhanced sight. Raditz took advantage of the comfortable peace and quiet to ponder the girl beside him – a girl who was both saiyan and not saiyan at the same time. He reflected upon her ability to hide the traits that would have given away the saiyan half of her identity. _How could Bulla deceive me so easily without my knowing it? What else is she hiding from me?_ He wasn't angry with her deception as he had been before. He was curious and it ate away at his insides like a parasite.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Raditz asked the first question that came to his mind. "It really was you who saved me from the matopoids, wasn't it?"

Bra turned to look at him, almost surprised by the break in silence. She answered simply. "Yes."

The saiyan smirked; his memories had been correct after all. "You hid it hoping that I wouldn't discover that you were a half-breed. Correct?"

The teen averted her eyes to gaze out upon the darkening lake. "Yes."

"Why are you so afraid to reveal yourself?"

Bra hesitated for several moments, gathering her thoughts. Raditz waited patiently for her to answer. Finally, she said, "My family and my 'uncle's' family were killed for the mere fact that they were saiyan. The three who are responsible for their murders cast me out into space, alone and a complete stranger to the workings of the galaxy. As far as I knew – and still know – there are countless people out there who would kill me if they discovered my heritage."

"But why hide it from me?"

"Well... At the time, I didn't know you. And then... I didn't want you to be in any danger, having knowledge of who – or what – I really am."

Raditz asked, "How could your identity be any danger to me?"

"Well, think about it," Bra answered. "Frieza killed off all but a few saiyans because he was afraid of their growing strength. So far as he knows, there are only a few males left, unable to interbreed with any other race, and once those few saiyans are gone, that's the end of the saiyan race. But if he knew that there _did_ exist a race of beings that were genetically compatible with saiyans, he'd kill the rest of you off immediately."

When Bra finished, Raditz was deathly quiet. Nervous about his sudden stillness, she turned to look at him and found that he had a completely stunned look on his face. And she realized that she had made a mistake.

"You didn't know that it was Frieza who killed them all, did you?" she gasped.

It took a moment for the saiyan to compose himself enough to answer. "I-it was Frieza? This entire time?" he whispered. Bra didn't miss that he had neglected to use the arcosian's title when referring to him.

With a lot more anger behind his words, he growled, "That bastard murdered my entire family and this entire time he has pretended to be benevolent and charitable towards us by providing us with all that he has?! Food, shelter, an education, training... Ha! How _charitable_, indeed! Everything he gave us was so that he could put us to work under his employment. This entire time, he has made a mockery of us! I cannot believe how naïve I have been. To think that I believed him when he said it was a meteor! I feel sick knowing that I accepted hand-outs from the very monster who destroyed everything I knew and loved."

"I'm sorry," Bra whispered. "I shouldn't have said that. I thought you knew..."

The anger drained out of Raditz as he took hold of his charge's hands and said to her, "Don't apologize. I'm thankful that you told me. I'd rather know the truth than to continue being deceived by that demon. Knowing this truth has clarified many things that has plagued me over the years."

The teenager pulled her hands free from his loose grasp. She was plagued with the guilt of having revealed such a nightmarish truth to him. At the same time, she felt equally guilty that she continued to deceive him with her own brand of lies. But she refused to go down that shame-filled route. Instead, she worried about Raditz now that he knew what had really happened to the saiyans and their home world.

"What will you do now, then?" she asked. "Now that you know that it was Frieza who did it... Do you still plan on working for him? Doing for him to other worlds that he did to yours with his own hand?"

Raditz bowed his head. Eventually, a dark chuckled escaped from his throat. He said, "If it were only so easy as handing in my resignation... No. I can't quit. Any opportunity I had to be free of Frieza was gone the moment his henchmen found me.

"I don't even remember the name of the world it was that I was busy purging when Planet Vegeta met its demise. But that was where they found me. I was only a cub at the time. Five or six galactic years old, I believe. Five _**cycles**_ by the _**Vegetian**_ calendar. If I had known then what was in store for me, I would have evacuated that empty planet before they located me. But how could I have known that a life of enslavement lie ahead of me? Instead, I was told of the 'accident' that had befallen my home world as I was whisked away to what was to become my new home on Planet Arcose under Frieza's _tender, loving care_."

Bra placed a comforting hand on his. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. You had nothing to do with it."

Still, Bra pushed the issue. "What about now? If you knew of a way to get away from Frieza, would you do it?"

Raditz was perplexed by her insistence and by her apparent desire to see that he found safety. He wondered, _Why is she so concerned for my welfare? For my happiness? Does she know a way that I could be free to live out my days without the threat of Lord Frieza hanging over my shoulder? _

Finding no immediate answer to his questions, he answered hers instead. "I cannot, even if I wanted to. I have devoted myself to serving my prince. He, too, is trapped under Frieza's thumb. My prince has vowed that he will one day grow strong enough to overthrow Frieza. And I will remain by his side and give him my support, no matter how insignificant my efforts might be, so that that day may come." As an additional thought came to his mind, he said, "Prince Vegeta's desire to destroy Frieza is much more understandable, now that I know how our people really died. I suppose he has secretly carried the truth with him for the past two decades."

The mention of the saiyan prince brought the two to another long silence. Both withdrew into their thoughts, both with Prince Vegeta on their minds, but each for a different reason.

For Bra, it was the longing to see her father alive and well, even if it was in the past when he wouldn't have any idea who she was to him, and the fear that meeting him would have severe repercussions. _I wonder what Daddy is doing right now. Where is he at? Will Raditz eventually reunite with Daddy before he heads to Earth? Or have they already forever parted ways? If they are destined to meet up again, however, will I have already found my own way back to Earth? As much as I miss Daddy and want to see him again, I know I can't risk bumping into him in the past. It's bad enough that I've stumbled into Raditz. I don't know how my actions might have skewed the timeline of events so far._

For Raditz, his thoughts were laced with fear for Bra's safety. _After we depart this world, we will rendezvous with Nappa and Prince Vegeta. If they were to discover that Bulla is half-saiyan, would they exterminate her in accordance to King Vegeta's purity laws? Or would one of them lay a claim on her since she is the last known female with saiyan blood? I could prevent the latter from happening if I convinced her to take me as her mate. But doing so might also provoke them into doing the former. Even if I decided to make her my mate, how can I be certain that she has reached the age of consent?_

Taking a risk, Raditz broke the silence by quietly asking in saiyashi, "Bulla, have you received... Mele's gift?"

Bra, whose gaze had been looking skyward until then, turned to face her guardian with tremendous caution. "Mele's gift?" she repeated uncertainly. _Where have I heard that before?_ she asked herself and no sooner than she did, she knew exactly what the saiyan was asking her. In galactic standard, she nearly screeched, "You're asking me if I've... if I've..." Her face turned beat red, unable to finish her sentence. "What kind of question is _that_ to ask!? That's a little personal, don't'cha think?"

Raditz was a little confused by the offense she seemed to have taken. Reverting back to galactic standard as well, he said, "It's a common question. When a male is interested in starting a courtship with a female, it's appropriate to know first if the female has reached womanhood."

The teenager was even more flabbergasted. "You want to _**date**_ me?"

"If by _**daait**_, you mean courtship, then, yes. Although, I must admit, we have already begun the early stages of the courtship rituals. Now that I know that you are half-saiyan, I assume that you were aware of your reciprocation of my efforts. I wanted to establish your age, however, before we continue any further."

Bra turned away from her companion to hide her embarrassment. "_**Oh my, Dende,**_" she muttered as she covered her reddened cheeks with her hands. _How could this have happened?_ she fretted. _How did we suddenly go from being traveling companions to dating each other? How the hell did I start going out with him without even realizing it in the first place?_

The halfling's mind raced as she analyzed all of their interactions over the past several weeks while her heart thumped in her chest. _I can't believe I didn't see it sooner. He's been buying me dinner and paying for my lodgings and bought me that microchip earlier today... Those are some of the things a guy would do for a girl he likes... But Raditz is a saiyan! He doesn't know human customs! So what has been going on that makes him think we're... courting?_

Bra thought harder, thought in terms of what little she knew of saiyan courtship rituals. _Okay, let's see... There's the food sharing thing... Crap. We've done that a lot, haven't we? Um... what else? There's the trials of the deities, demonstrating the qualities of d'Jitaba Saiya or d'Mele gu Saiya to the potential mate. But I haven't... Oh shit, I _have_. 'Mele's Protection...' I've declared that to him over and over again. How many times have I told him so far that I've been trying to protect him by keeping my identity a secret? And Raditz... So far, it seems he's been practicing 'Jitaba's Honor.' He's been almost a complete gentleman towards me. Rescuing me from those creepers in that diner on Aphis... Seeing to my needs... Giving the hotel bedroom to me to have all to myself..._

_Oh, Dende... How could I have let this happen? _Why_ did I let this happen? Why didn't I recognize what was going on sooner? I should have realized what he was doing and rejected him by now. _A thought occurred to Bra. _Speaking of rejection; why haven't I rejected him yet? Could it possibly be... No! It can't be! I can't have feelings for Raditz! Can I?_

The teenager reflected on all the moments she had shared thus far with her saiyan guardian. She found that she enjoyed his company very much. She cared for his safety and well-being. Even though she knew the fate that awaited him in the near future, she wanted for him to live the rest of his days with fulfillment. She even realized that she had gone out of her way on a few occasions to try to bring him a small semblance of happiness. It was then that she realized something very problematic.

_ Oh, my Dende! I _do_ like him! When did that happen? But... I can't... I can't let this continue! I'm being a stupid, silly girl with a stupid, silly crush! I gotta get my head out of the clouds and start thinking straight! I can't fall in love with Raditz! He's gonna die in a little over two years from now... I have to put an end to this. I have to turn him down. And I can't do it gently, either. He wouldn't understand that. I have to reject him in the saiyan way..._

As all these thoughts swirled through Bra's head, Raditz waited quietly, but with some trepidation. He hadn't any idea what to expect from her, now that he had laid his intentions bare to her. When she still hadn't turned to face him after several minutes, he reached out a hand and rested it on her shoulder.

"Bulla," he softly called her name. Before he could say anything more, she whirled on him.

"No!" Bra shouted as she slapped his hand away. She rose to her feet, prompting him to follow. "I'm not interested, Raditz," she said, even though she felt a pain deep inside of her as she said it.

The saiyan was confused. "You're... not interested?"

"No," the blunette repeated with a shake of her head. "I've no interest in courting you."

Raditz was dumbfounded. He had been almost certain that she would accept his offer. She had been as much an active participant in the rituals as he had been thus far. So why, all of a sudden, was she reversing her behavior? _Why would she perform the courtship rituals if she had no interest in me? Was I wrong to assume that she understood the rituals? No, I suspect she knows them. She seems too educated not to know... So why has she changed her mind?_

With an irritation that was fueled by confusion and hurt, the saiyan took a few steps towards his charge. "I don't understand. Why are you suddenly rejecting me? You were happy with me up until I officially proposed my courtship to you. What has suddenly changed?"

Bra stepped back. "Nothing has changed. I just remembered something very important."

Raditz wasn't buying her vague explanation. With another step forward, he demanded, "Tell me why you would allow me to pursue you only to turn me away? Is this a game to you? Do you have some alternate motive that would drive you to toy with my people's sacred customs?"

The halfling stepped back again. "I can't tell you!"

"Then you have no reason to reject me!" he argued. "Our courtship is possibly the only thing that will keep you alive during the next leg of our voyage!"

"What are you talking about?" she inquired skeptically.

The saiyan growled in frustration. "I didn't want to tell you this. But our next stop brings us to Frieza Planet 53. There, we will be meeting up with Prince Vegeta and General Nappa. If they find out what you are, they will either kill you or claim you. The best way to prevent either of those outcomes from happening is if we are mated."

Bra was mortified by his blunt warning. "That won't happen!" she spat, full of denial. "No one is going to kill me or mate me!" As she blurted these words, her heart raced and her mind whirled with the knowledge that she was soon to meet her father's past self.

"We don't have a choice! It's in your best interest that you accept my offer!" the saiyan bellowed.

Raditz stepped towards her again. This time, Bra held her ground. Words weren't getting through to him, so she had to get physical with him. She took a swing at him. He dodged it, as she had meant for him to do. She hadn't put any strength or effort behind her attack; she didn't want to hurt him, nor did she want him aware of her strength. She only wanted to send the message that she was denying him. Realizing that she was still hiding things from him – like her true strength – made her sick with guilt. But she had no choice.

The blue-haired girl took another swing at her taller companion, wanting to make it clear that his advances were no longer wanted. This time, however, instead of dodging, he caught her wrist. Certainly, she could have pulled free from his grasp. Instead, she swung with her other fist. Again, he caught her arm. She tried kicking at him, but he blocked these by lifting his large, muscular leg.

In a calmer tone, Raditz asked again, "Why have you suddenly decided to reject me? I find it hard to believe that you have no desire for me."

Bra settled her feigned struggle against his grip and said, "Please just trust me when I tell you that it wouldn't work out between us. You have your duty to your prince. I have to return to my home and rescue my family."

Raditz interjected with mild confusion. "Rescue? I thought your family was dead."

The teenager corrected herself. "Whatever... I meant _avenge._" What he didn't know was that she was planning to rescue them by using the dragonballs to return them to life and she certainly wasn't going to explain that to him. But in her duress, she had slipped and used the wrong word, the more accurate and truthful word. "The point is... We both have obligations that destine us to eventually part ways. It's best that we end what we've started since we won't be able to continue it for very long."

Raditz studied Bra's face for several moments. He found nothing but sincerity etched there. He relaxed his grip on her arms and a sad smile tugged at his lips.

"I see," he replied softly as he closed the distance between their two bodies. "Even your rejection of me is an attempt to protect me. You don't wish to see me hurt when the time comes that we must go our separate ways. You fear that one or both of us will fail when we go forth to vanquish our enemies. And should you be the one to perish, you don't wish for me to suffer from your loss." Raditz hands slid towards Bra's hands to take them gently into his own. "I promise you this, Bulla. I will respect your commitment to defeat your foes. And I will do my best to defeat mine. If we both should survive our respective trials, I will search for you. I will travel to the ends of the galaxy to be reunited with you if I have to. And if you will have me, I will be yours."

Raditz leaned in to place a kiss on Bra's lips, but she averted her face before he could. The saiyan felt a small pang of disappointment when she denied him the chaste kiss, but he figured that such an act was probably too much for her at the moment. Bra, on the other hand, wasn't thinking much about the kiss-that-wasn't. She was too consumed with grief. Even the knowledge of her impending and dangerous reunion with her father's past self didn't match the regret she felt about Raditz. His open devotion to her left her feeling filled with awe, but his commitment was also so very devastating. He had assumed very correctly that one of them would perish. He had no idea that it would be him and that it would happen in two very short years from now. She fought the tears from forming in her eyes, knowing that this man who thought he loved her so very much would die almost seventeen years before she was even born. It was all so very tragic.

When Bra felt as though she could keep her emotions in check, she slowly withdrew from Raditz's embrace. "It's getting late," she muttered. "We should go back."

He nodded his agreement. Without a word, they left their dark corner of the park and headed for the brighter lights of the resort city. He, quiet and uncertain how to reassure the young woman who was the object of his affections. She, lost in the turmoil of the multiple messes she had fallen into.

* * *

**Story Notes:**  
Opula – from _opulence_.  
Lorgna – from _lorgnette_, a pair of eyeglasses mounted on a handle.  
Thystyph – from _Stygichthys typhlops_, or Brazilian blind characid, a cave-dwelling fish that is, like its namesake, blind.  
Luxus – from _luxury_.  
d'Mele gu Saiya – the female deity of saiyan belief, she is the Mother of Saiyans and represents protection, loyalty, and love.  
d'Jitaba Saiya – the male deity of saiyan belief, he is the War-God Saiyan and represents the virtues of strength, courage, and honor.


	12. Lesson Twelve

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Twelve  
The Art of Self-defense_

_ On the subject of combat, the very first and most important point Daddy emphasized was having a strong defense. He had given me sporadic lessons in self-defense here and there throughout my early childhood, but it wasn't until I was seven years old that he suddenly became very serious about my training. _

_ I secretly lamented Daddy's efforts since I was, at the time, growing more interested in hobbies and activities that were far more feminine than the physical combat that he and Trunks seemed to thrive on. However, I decided that I would at least attend Daddy's lectures and demonstrations to determine if they would call to my saiyan blood. At first, the twice-a-week lessons seemed alright, but I soon realized that my heart really wasn't into it after all. It seemed as though the lectures never changed, as if I was repeating the same movements over and over again. I think Daddy realized it too; his frustration with the lack of progress seemed to escalate as quickly as my impatience with the repetition._

_ "We've gone over this maneuver several times over the past three weeks, girl. Why haven't you memorized it yet?" Daddy demanded._

_ "I don't know," I whined. "It's just not 'clicking.' Show me again."_

_ Daddy took hold of my left forearm with his right hand. "Always remember to twist against your opponent's thumb. No matter how strong your opponent is, his thumb will always be a weakness. Now twist."_

_ I slowly twisted my arm around, flipping it around Daddy's thumb._

_ "Good, now remember to reverse the hold," he encouraged. "You don't want to give your enemy the opportunity to recover. After you've twisted out of the enemy's grasp, what should you do?"_

_ I thought for a brief moment. "Grab his arm!" I blurted the answer as I grabbed the back of Daddy's right forearm with my freed left."_

_ "Almost, but not quite."_

_ And then it dawned on me. "Not his arm. His thumb!" I released Daddy's wrist and took his thumb, gently bending it down and back towards his wrist so that – had this been a serious situation – he wouldn't have been able to escape the hold without first breaking or dislocating his thumb._

_ "Correct," he replied. "If you grab around the opponent's arm, he could perform a reversal of his own and you'd be right back where you started. Grab his thumb, and you have him under your control."_

_ I nodded my understanding of the concept._

_ "Now that you have your opponent under your control, what is your next course of action?"_

_ This was where I kept tripping up the most. It seemed that no matter what answer I gave at this point, I was always wrong. Once I had suggested tossing the opponent to the ground. Daddy said that only served to free him and enabling him to attack again. Another time, I had answered that I would pin my enemy to the ground while waiting for help to arrive. Daddy's answer? That would force me to remain occupied with the enemy and unable to defend against other would-be attackers while waiting for someone who might not come to rescue me. _

_ Exasperated, I released Daddy's thumb and whined, "I dunno, Daddy. I give up."_

_ "You 'give up?' What kind of answer is that? Do you think your opponent will simply let you go on your way if you just tell them 'I give up'? No! You can't give up! If you refuse to defend yourself, what chances do you have of defeating your enemies?" _

_ "Daddy, I don't have any opponents or enemies or anything like that! Why do I have to learn this? I'm not gonna be in the Martial Arts Tournaments like Pan! I'm not gonna be one of Earth's protectors when I grow up! I'm not strong like you or Trunks! I... I just don't like fighting... okay?" I had gotten very emotional by this point and couldn't stop a couple of tears from falling down my cheeks._

_ Daddy was quiet for a few moments while he absorbed my self-defeatist words. Calmly, he said, "Being able to protect yourself isn't about being a good fighter, Bra."_

_ "Then what is it about?"_

_ "It's about me making sure that you'll be safe if I should somehow fail to protect you myself."_

_ I was very stunned to hear Daddy admit to me that he feared that one day he wouldn't be able to protect me. I wiped the wetness from my face and weakly argued, "Don't be silly, Daddy. You'll always be there to save me if I ever got into trouble." _

_ I wasn't sure who I was trying to reassure; him... or me. Daddy didn't refute my confidence in him, as shaken as it might have been by his doubts. Instead, a discomforting quiet settled between the two of us. During this silence, I knew that he felt troubled by his fears. As for me, I used this time to dwell upon the reason for his uncertainties._

_ One thing I knew for sure was that I wasn't going to disappoint my Daddy. If doing so meant that I had to try my best to learn how to protect myself, then I would do the best I could, as much as I didn't like violence. _

_ To demonstrate my resolve, I took Daddy's thumb into the same pressure hold again. "The next step, is to neutralize the opponent," I said softly._

_ My actions seemed to draw Daddy out of his stupor. "Good," he answered. "And how would you accomplish that?"_

_ "I could incapacitate him," I suggested, "By knocking the wind out of him with a blow to the sternum." I slowly went through the motions of driving the palm of my right hand at Daddy's chest._

_ "How else?"_

_ "I could deliver a kick to his... private parts," I answered as my cheeks turned pink._

_ "Good. What else could you do to neutralize your enemy?" he asked._

_ From then on, my lessons in defense became more successful. Although I still didn't care for violent behaviors, the skills I learned from Daddy grew easier and easier, almost coming naturally to me. Yet, I still found it hard to believe that I would ever fall into a dangerous situation, especially not one from which Daddy couldn't save me. _

_~from the Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Age 759, Third Galactic Quarter, Day 96 (Approx. 27 September 759)  
Location: Frieza Planet 53

Bra sat on the floor of the single bedroom of a cheap motel – if such a tiny space could be considered such – tinkering with her smart-watch and the computer chip Raditz had purchased for her on Planet Opula. She had been fidgeting with the device and the hardware for the better part of two days now, using the project as a way of passing time.

Raditz had secured her in her meager lodgings almost as soon as they had landed on this outpost. This planet – one of Frieza's more militarized colonies – required that Raditz reside on base during his stay, lest he arouse the suspicions from some of the higher ranking members of Frieza's army that were stationed there. Unfortunately, allowing Bra, a civilian, to stay on base as well would also have drawn too much attention. Which was why the saiyan had acquired a rented room for Bra located a short flight away from the military base.

While Bra didn't mind having some alone time for a change, she had come to rely upon Raditz's companionship over the course of her adventures through the galaxy and its past. He had become a constant presence over the past several months. She enjoyed his company. Even though there wasn't much about herself that she could safely share with him, she found that she could still carry on a decent conversation with him. Now that she had been stuck spending almost the entirety of the past two days in this room, she suddenly found herself rather lonely.

Having her thoughts wander to the problematic topic of the long-haired saiyan, the blunette could feel pangs of guilt and anxiety rising to the surface once again. She reflected upon his declaration of devotion towards her, his sincere and heartfelt vow to give himself to her once their respective missions had been completed. Her eyes began to water with the thought, forcing her to put her work aside for the moment lest her blurred vision cause her hand to slip and damage her smart-watch or the microchip.

_Oh, Raditz... _she despaired, _why did you have to make things so complicated? I wish I could tell you that we could never be together... _Why_ we could never be together... That you are fated to die two years from now. That you'll be long since dead by the time I'm born... How can I convince you, without telling you the truth, that because of that truth, I can't promise myself to you as you have done for me?_

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Bra realized that having some time alone was definitely what she needed at this point. It gave her time to clear her head, to evaluate the complicated relationship forming between herself and her companion, and to sharpen her focus on the important task at hand, which was finding her way back home.

The halfling pushed her emotions aside for at least the dozenth time since coming to reside in this closet-sized room. She resumed her work on her smart-watch, pushing herself harder to complete the upgrade which would allow her to use it to communicate wirelessly with the various computerized devices utilized by the Planet Trade Organization. She was so close to getting the microchip connected to the miniature motherboard inside the device that she didn't want thoughts of Raditz to delay her. She was hoping that she'd get it finished within the next hour or so when the saiyan was due to visit her.

Because Raditz had strictly advised Bra to stay in the rented room, he made certain to visit her twice each day. With each visit, he brought plenty of food and water so she would have no reason to venture out of the relative safety of her rented room. He feared that if she were to wander around outside, she would surely run into the soldiers of Frieza's army. At first, Bra had felt like a prisoner, like Raditz's dirty little secret. Normally, she would have protested against the lock-down. But for some reason – perhaps it was the lingering guilt she felt about Raditz's earlier confession – she complied with his wishes. Therefore, she utilized this time to work on her smart-watch. And if all went well, it would be finished before Raditz's next visit.

And if Bra's turmoil over Raditz wasn't enough, the knowledge that at any moment she would come face to face with the past version of her father kept her mind occupied. _I would have thought that by now I would have found a way back home,_ she dwelt. _I wouldn't have agreed to take the risk of traveling with Raditz had I known it would have taken so long to find Earth's coordinates. If I suspected that I would run into Daddy, I would never have gone along with Raditz. I don't know what I'm gonna do... I've barely been able to keep my identity a secret from Raditz. How will I ever hide it from Daddy? What if it accidentally slips that I'm his daughter from thirty years in the future? What if I do something that drastically changes history? If I can get this smart-watch to connect with the digital systems of the Planet Trade Organization, then maybe I'd be able to conduct a wider search for Earth's coordinates... The sooner I can get this to work, the better my chances are that I'll never run into Daddy._

Unfortunately for the teenager, she was lacking certain tools needed to complete the connection between the microchip and the smart-watch. "Damn it!" she cursed as she nearly threw both components down on the floor. She reigned in her frustration at the last moment, sparing both parts of her wrath.

Bra sighed. "Sorry, Raditz. I know you forbade me from leaving my room," she said to herself. "But I can't put off this project any longer. I need to get some supplies and I won't be able to get them from here..."

Carefully, the blue-haired girl placed all the tools and pieces to her project on top of the small bed in the corner of her windowless room. And with only a little bit of trepidation, she slipped out of the tiny space and out into the world beyond.

* * *

At the same time that Bra was venturing towards the port city's commerce center, Raditz was making a large purchase at a local eatery. He had made it a habit to make certain that Bra had everything she needed inside her tiny rented room so that there would be no need to expose her to the various dangers on this outpost.

Frieza Planet 53 was one that had been established several decades earlier, having been chosen for its strategic location. It was the launching point for many of the more difficult purging mission and was therefore heavily staffed with warriors who were several times stronger than even Prince Vegeta. Raditz feared that if Bra was seen with him, his association with her would make her a target. Likewise, he didn't want Bra to come to Prince Vegeta's or Nappa's immediate attention upon their arrival. He wasn't yet exactly sure how he was going to explain her presence to his superiors, but he hoped that it would help that he could at least turn in his mission reports first and get on Prince Vegeta's good side before raising the subject of his little tag-along.

As the long-haired man waited for his food order to be prepared, he lost himself in his thoughts. _Bulla has seemed rather troubled lately,_ he noted. _She has been pretending that there is nothing wrong and continues to converse with me as if all is well. But she seems more reserved than usual. At times, I can even sense her apprehension... her anxiety. But what is she so afraid of? Was I too forward when I proposed my courtship to her? Or is there something else on her mind that has her preoccupied?_

Raditz was pulled from his thoughts when the short-cook placed the order on the counter. The saiyan collected the boxes of food and exited the restaurant. The flight to the motel where Bra was staying was a very short flight away. Using the extra digital key card assigned to the room, he let himself in.

"I'm sorry I'm a little later than usual," the saiyan said from behind the stack of food boxes. As he blindly worked his way towards the tiny table next to the door, he explained, "I had a spar that ran much longer than I had anticipated and despite being a little bruised, I'm proud to say that I successfully defeated-"

Raditz stopped mid-sentence when, after placing the food containers on the table, he turned towards the room to find it vacant. For a brief moment, he was stunned that Bra would disobey him. But quickly, that shock morphed into rage.

"Jitaba, damn it all! I specifically told her _not to leave_! Why did I think she would listen to me? Does she think that I tell her these things only so that she can drive me insane when she does the opposite? ARGH!"

Food forgotten, the long-haired man exited the rented room, neglecting to bother locking the door. He attempted to use his scouter to pinpoint her via her ki, but hers was lost in the vast sea of power sources currently on the planet. Frustrated, he canceled the search function on his scouter.

Raditz took a deep breath and focused on calming himself down. Closing his eyes, he searched for the faint connection he sometimes felt from Bra whenever he was near her. Unfortunately, that connection was still very weak and she must have been too far away for him to find the subtle link that was forming between them. Instead, he'd have to find her the hard way. _If I were Bulla, where would I run off to?_ he pondered. _Gah! If only she had a scouter! This would be so much easier!_

* * *

A short distance away, Bra was returning from the commerce district empty handed. She had scoured the various technology venues and couldn't find what she was in search of. _Not that it really matters, I suppose,_ the girl grumbled. _Not like I have any currency to buy anything. I'm _certainly_ not trading one of the earrings I got from Grammy for a couple of measly connectors. I could buy a thousand of them on Earth for a couple of zenni. I don't know why I even bothered going out in the first place._

In truth, the demi-saiyan knew why she had felt compelled to leave. She was getting a little stir-crazy holed up in that motel room for so long. She had used the need for the connectors as an excuse to get outside and stretch her legs. It was for this reason that the girl took her time returning to the motel. She figured that, by now, Raditz had likely arrived at the room to discover her absence. She may as well enjoy the last few minutes of freedom before she heard an earful from her saiyan suitor.

As Bra passed by an undeveloped plot of land, she couldn't help but notice a small ruckus and a congregation of various aliens growing there. Curious, she joined the crowd to see what the commotion was all about. She could hear a man's voice very loudly over the audience's soft and fretful murmurs. She pushed her way through the gathering of aliens until she was almost near the front.

In a large space before her, five aliens, all of different races, stood together in front of the crowd. All five of them wore the uniform that marked them as members of Frieza's army. One of the aliens, a bald man with purple skin and a set of horns protruding from his head, was addressing the crowd.

"That's right! We are the most fearsome warriors in the galaxy! It's in your best interest to show us fear and respect! Tell them who we are boys!"

One by one, the five soldiers called out their names.

"Recoome!"

"Guldo!"

"Jeice!"

"Burter!"

"And I'm Captain Ginyu! We are the Ginyu Force! Cross us and we will show you no mercy!"

As the warriors went through their roll call, they posed themselves into the most ridiculous postures Bra had ever seen in her life. While everyone else was too intimidated to remark on such absurdity, Bra had no qualm against voicing her objection.

"Oh, _no_. Just... no. What in the seven hells was _that_?"

Unfortunately, her outburst was heard very clearly by the captain. "Who said that?" he demanded as he and the rest of his men fell out of their formation.

The crowd wasted no time. They took a very large and simultaneous step away from Bra, exposing her to Ginyu's angry glare. She felt slightly nervous. Not because she had the full attention of one of the galaxy's most dangerous men, but because she had been singled out from the crowd. She was feeling just a little bit exposed at the moment.

Honestly, Captain Ginyu didn't frighten the teenager in the least. Gauging his ki, she knew that if she were to power up to her fullest, she could probably defeat him in a spar. Not only that, she was also accustomed to feeling ki dozens of times higher than his, such as the ki belonging to her father and brother. In addition, the girl wasn't completely unaware of who the Ginyu Force were. She had heard stories about them from Gohan on several occasions. Unfortunately for her, those stories were usually limited to how tacky their introductions were and Ginyu's body-swapping technique. Other than that, she had no idea how merciless or brutal these five mercenaries were.

Ginyu stepped towards Bra and growled, "What was that you said about our routine?"

The blunette shook off her moment of nervousness and boldly said, "That was the worst performance I have ever seen!"

The squad's reactions ranged from heartbreak to fury. Ginyu demanded, "And who are you to judge our highly perfected introduction? Hmmm?"

A cocky smirk graced Bra's lips as she planted her fists on her hips. "'Highly perfected,' eh? I hope you didn't actually _practice_ those poses! If you want your opponents to piss themselves upon seeing you, make it because you've _scared_ the piss out of 'em... not because they've pissed themselves _laughing_ at you!"

The captain powered up a ball of energy in his hand. "That's it! I've had about enough out of you, girlie!"

Bra snorted. "Launch that ki ball at me and you can forget about me helping you."

That grabbed Ginyu's attention. "Help? Who says we need _your_ help?"

"Heh. _You_ did. The very moment all of you twisted into those insufferable poses. I can teach you a few things. Y'know... improve your style. Make you look respectable instead of laughable."

"And what makes you such an expert on style?" The captain interrogated. Although his tone suggested that he was still angry with the girl's accusations and insults, the fact that he had extinguished his ki ball indicated his curiosity.

"Oh, let's see..." Bra answered while dramatically tilting her head in thought while counting off her expertise with her hands. "I've been a cheerleader for three years now. I have two years of experience in theater. I was a gymnast for five years and won several competitions before I retired from that. Oh! And I was a dancer for six years when I was younger. If all that doesn't qualify me to know what I'm talking about, then I don't know anyone else who could possibly help you because I bet I'm the best coach you'll find within a thousand solar systems of here."

Ginyu had to admit that the girl definitely seemed more than qualified. But he wasn't going to admit that he was so impressed with her resume. He was about to tell her to 'get lost' when his squad spoke up.

"Oh, please, Captain!" Recoome begged. "Let her teach us!"

"Yes! Let her help us!" Guldo insisted.

"Our moves _are_ getting a little stale," Burter admitted.

"And even if she _can't_ show us anything," Jeice added, "I wouldn't mind looking at a pretty little thing like her dancing around..."

Bra laughed nervously as she realized that she may have gotten herself into more trouble than it was worth, especially with at least one lech in the group. _Too late to back down now!_ she regretted.

Ginyu found that he was unable to argue with his squad. He was actually glad that they had pleaded with him to undertake the girl's tutelage. If _he _had accepted her advice, he would have inadvertently implied that he felt their performances really were terrible. And that would simply be disgraceful. So he was relieved that his crew had shamelessly begged him to seek her training.

"Alright," the captain feigned reluctance. "We'll hear her out. But if what she has to offer isn't up to my expectations, then the lot of you are responsible for the consequences!"

The squad was a mix of exuberance (because their leader had given his permission) and fret (because they knew that they were now on the hook should the girl's lessons turn out to be worthless). It was their excitement that they focused on, however. They had never actually had anyone who was willing to offer their honest opinion and advice before and they were looking forward to the opportunity.

To the crowd, Ginyu bellowed, "All of you, get outta here! We have some important work to do!"

No sooner than the words were out of his mouth did the crowd disperse. All except for Bra.

"Okay, girlie," the captain growled. "Let's hear what you think we can improve upon."

* * *

Raditz slumped down onto the ground, seating himself against the wall of a building. His search for his companion had turned up nothing. He was ready to give up his quest for the blue-haired girl and return to the motel when he overheard a snippet of conversation from two passersby.

"...can't believe she actually said that to them!" said one.

"And now she's going to give them pointers!" said the other. "That blue-haired girl certainly has a lot of guts. I could ne..."

The saiyan leaped to his feet. _A blue-haired girl!?_ he repeated in his mind. _Could they be talking about Bulla!_

He closed the distance between himself and the two civilians, grabbing one by the shoulder, forcefully spun him around, and lifted him off of the ground. "Tell me where you saw that girl you spoke of!"

The civilian was momentarily disoriented, but quickly regained his bearings when he saw that he was in the grasp of one of Frieza's soldiers. "D-d-down on Thoroughfare Nineteen, b-b-between Blocks Five and Six."

As soon as the location was out of the civilian's mouth, Raditz immediately dropped him and then launched into the air, hoping that he'd find his teenage charge there.

"Okay! Try it from the top!" Bra prompted her five students.

"I am Recoome! The Unbreakable Wall!" the orange-haired man proclaimed as he planted his right fist onto his hip and flexed his left arm above his shoulder.

"I'm the Untimely Death! Guldo!" The four-eyed dwarf crouched into an offensive posture, feet shoulder-width apart, arms at his sides and hands infused with ki.

"I am the Fatal Attraction, Jeice," the red-skinned man softly stated in his deep accent, assuming a relaxed pose. His left hand supported his right elbow while he delicately swept a lock of his white hair from his face with his right hand.

"I'm Burter, the Blue Streak!" He stood to his full height, towering over his squad members with both hands confidently fisted on his hips.

"And I am Ginyu! The Conquering Spirit! And Captain of the Ginyu Force!" The horned man placed his feet far apart, bent down at his waist, and peered back at his teacher from between his legs.

"No, no, NO!" Bra scolded. "Ginyu! That's all wrong! You're not supposed to pose like that! Would you please stand up? You look ridiculous like that!" _Ugh... I seriously didn't need to see _that_ view!_ she cringed.

The captain rose to his full height and turned to face the teenager with a hurt look on his face. "But that's my favorite pose!"

The rest of the squad fell out of their practiced poses and looked pleadingly at their leader. Racoome was the one who begged, "C'mon, Captain! We're all working really hard! Couldn't you at least try the pose Miss Bulla showed you?"

"Yeah," Burter added. "Me and Jeice let Miss Bulla convince us to change our nicknames."

Jeice jumped in. "That's right! Me and Burter thought that 'Red Magma' and 'Blue Hurricane' were very terrifying names. But the new ones are even better! Just give the new pose a shot! You might like it!"

Ginyu grumbled. "I just don't think it's menacing enough!"

"Do you want your opponents to take you seriously or not?" Bra admonished.

"They take me seriously already!" the captain protested.

The blunette sighed. "Trust me... When they see you posing with your rear in the air, the only reason that they force themselves to take you seriously is because they know that you're stronger than they are. If you didn't have all that power to back you up, they'd be making derogatory jokes about you. I'm sorry I had to tell you that, but it's the truth."

The horned man looked at her in disbelief. "All this time?" he quietly muttered in devastation. "I'm crushed..."

"Just try your new pose," Bra encouraged. "Stand tall, but be relaxed. Arms crossed. Head slightly bowed. Eyes half lidded, but never leaving your target. You want to look cool and confident. You know you're stronger than your opponent and you're not afraid to show your lack of fear. You don't need to look battle ready because you know that you can handle whatever your opponent might throw at you. But at the same time, you're no fool either. While you may appear completely at ease, you are cleverly aware of every movement your opponent is making, even before he or she knows it."

Although reluctant at first, Ginyu followed Bra's coaching. As she gave her instructions, he gradually became more open to her tutelage until he finally became confident and convinced of her suggestions. By the end of her lecture, he had perfectly filled the role she had described to him.

The demi-saiyan's face lit up when she witnessed the transformation of her most challenging pupil. "Yes! Perfect! Now _that's_ intimidating! If I were just meeting you for the first time right now, I'd be too terrified to move! As a matter of fact, I've actually got chills looking at you now!"

The rest of the squad cheered for their captain and praised his success.

Excited by the breakthrough, Bra ordered, "The rest of you! Back in your poses! I wanna see the full effect!"

* * *

That was the scene that was unfolding when Raditz came within eyesight of the Ginyu Force. From far above, he was still out of earshot when he discovered them and therefore had no clue what the pretext of the situation was. What he perceived upon spotting them was a helpless Bra standing before Lord Frieza's five deadliest warriors as they set themselves into poses that he would later realize were much improved than those he'd seen in the past. He knew very well that the Ginyu Force didn't break out into poses unless they were about to cause trouble for someone. And Bra happened to be in their cross-hairs. If they proceeded, the saiyan knew that it would be the most one-sided fight he would ever lay eyes upon.

Terror instantly filled Raditz. His worst nightmare – no, far _worse_ than his worst nightmare – had come true. The girl that he had sworn to protect, the young woman that he vowed he would one day take as his mate, had fallen into a situation so deadly and dangerous that he had no chance of saving her. Yet, he had no thoughts of his ineptitude or impending failure in his mind. His only reaction was to do whatever it took to save Bra, even if he died trying.

In the saiyan's panic, he instinctively reached out to her, not realizing that he was doing so telepathically. _"Bulla! Get away from there! Quickly!"_

Bra was a little startled to hear Raditz's voice, loud and clear, in her mind, but she wasn't completely shocked to hear it since it wasn't the first time he had managed to link with her telepathically. Until now, she had been certain that the temporary link they had formed on Planet 4DR14 (when he had been immobilized by the matopoids' toxins) had been severed. The blunette turned away from her students and gazed up into the sky, seeing a speck of light quickly growing in size as it grew closer to her location. She knew that it was Raditz, of course. Though he sent her no more warnings, she could feel his dread and anxiety filling her core.

Pushing her companion's emotions away from her, the teenager turned back towards her students. "Sorry, guys. I think today's lesson has to come to an end now. I think I've just been _**bagged**_."

Before any members of the Ginyu Force could question her for clarification, Raditz landed with such tremendous force that he kicked up a thick cloud of dust and debris. When it settled, he was standing protectively in front of the girl, ready to fight for her.

"What have you done to her?" the saiyan demanded with a deep growl and bared teeth.

Ginyu smirked haughtily. "Well, well, well. If it isn't one of Lord Frieza's pet monkeys. Not the preferred prince, unfortunately. Quite a shame, really. I love getting Vegeta all riled up. But you? You're not even worth my time."

Raditz ignored the taunt. "You leave Bulla alone," he warned.

Bra tried to get her companion's attention. "Raditz, please. It's okay."

Without taking his eyes off of Ginyu, the saiyan snapped at his charge, "Quiet, Bulla! Get out of here. Now! Do as I say!"

Racoome protested on Bra's behalf. "Don't you talk to Miss Bulla that way!"

"Yeah! You show her some respect, you miserable monkey!" Burter added.

Jeice spoke directly to the girl, "Miss Bulla, you don't have to put up with that! You can come with us if you want to. I'll personally take care of you." He gave her a flirtatious wink.

Of course, this only made Raditz angrier and more protective of her. "Touch her and I'll rip your throat out!"

Ginyu was growing impatient. "Watch your tongue, saiyan! You know very well that you're outclassed and outmatched. So I suggest that you leave before I unleash my men on you!"

Rational sense slowly began to return to Raditz as the captain's words sank in. He eventually relaxed, dropping out of his battle stance, but remained cautious and on guard.

"Come on, Bulla. Let's get out of here," the saiyan said as he attempted to collect his charge. He reached his arm out to place it around her, but then the next moment, she was gone. When he looked around, he found that the blue-haired girl was now standing next to Guldo with a bewildered expression on her face.

"Miss Bulla is staying with us," the four-eyed man declared. "So get lost, monkey!"

Bra wasn't sure how she had been instantly transported from Raditz's side to her current position among the ranks of the Ginyu Force. What she _did_ know was that if she didn't do something quick, Raditz's protective instincts were going to get him in serious trouble. She knew that she had established a fair amount of respect among the Ginyu Force and had won them over with a bit of charm during the course of the past hour or so and she had to use that to her advantage.

In a playfully scolding tone, the teen addressed her pupils. "Now, now, boys. It's not fair to monopolize my time!" She slowly walked out to the front of the group and faced them. "I promised Raddie that I'd help him with some of his techniques as well. I actually had an appointment to meet him about half an hour ago. I got so involved in helping you out that it completely slipped my mind. I'm sure he has been waiting very patiently for me to meet him and it's completely natural that Raddie is so upset that I forgot about him. You understand, yea?"

The members of the Ginyu Force were a bit surprised to learn that Bra had taken a saiyan on as a student as well. Their bewilderment over this idea occupied their attentions and caused their aggressive behaviors to subside. Surprisingly, they bought into it, and one by one, they relinquished their claim on the tutor they had so quickly grown fond of.

Meanwhile, Raditz was just as confused by Bra's story as the Ginyu Force were. Of course, he knew that her story was not true and he was amazed at her ability to fabricate falsehoods without hesitation. _Her mind... it works so fast,_ he observed. _She seems to be able to escape any situation with her mind and her words alone. Bulla must be far more intelligent than I originally thought. And if she is as crafty as I now suspect, I must wonder, yet again, if the things she has told me are truth or false? And what the hell is with calling me 'Raddie'? _

Ginyu stepped forward and spoke to Bra. "I'm sorry that we've occupied so much of your time, Miss Bulla. Your guidance has been very valuable. My men greatly appreciate it."

The blue-haired girl grinned. "It was no trouble at all! I enjoyed helping you."

Jeice asked, "Will we be able to schedule another session with you, Miss Bulla?"

Bra scratched the back of her head. "Well, I don't know how much longer I'll be on this outpost. But if we run into each other in the future, I wouldn't mind giving you a few more pointers."

With Bra's promise to continue her teachings, the Ginyu Force allowed her to go, although they were still a bit reluctant to part with her. Some were quite bitter that she had chosen a saiyan over them, but they didn't act upon this resentment beyond a few muttered grievances. The squad bid their farewells and then took to the sky. Bra watched them as they disappeared into the distance. When they were finally out of sight, the teenager found herself grabbed roughly by the arm and forced against her will to face one very angry saiyan.

"What the _hell_ were you thinking?" Raditz growled. "Those five warriors are Lord Frieza's most dangerous employees. You could have been killed! For that very specific reason, I told you _not_ to leave your room!"

Bra instantly became angry and pulled herself out of her companion's grasp. She could feel his fury, full blast through the telepathic link that had surged to life between them. His wrath only served to fuel her own fury.

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you very much! I don't need you to babysit me!"

"Obviously, you _do_ need me to tend to you. You have no idea how extremely lucky you are right now!"

The halfling grew more furious. "You know... just because you have this stupid... _**crush**_... on me, doesn't mean you own me! I'm not yours to tell me what to do!"

Raditz didn't recognize the foreign word she had used, but via the link, he understood that she was referring to his feelings for her in a disdainful manner. This negative dismissal was a sharp blow to his psyche and heightened his anger. "For as long as my original promise holds, my vow to see you back to your world, it _absolutely _means that I can give you orders and _expect that_ _you obey them_!"

Bra opened her mouth to object, but she was cut off by the deep voice of a newcomer.

"Oi, Raditz! Is that little spitfire giving you a hard time?"

The long-haired saiyan was once again filled with dread as the voice of the eldest member of his squad filled his ears. He turned and greeted his superior in a tone that was suddenly much calmer than it had been moments before.

"General Nappa. Greetings. I was unaware that you had arrived on this outpost."

"No shit," the taller, balder man stated. "We arrived less than half an hour ago. As soon as we were debriefed, Prince Vegeta sent me to fetch you. But had I known that you were busy soliciting the locals, I would have given you ten more minutes."

Bra watched as Nappa casually strolled towards herself and Raditz. From her companion, she could feel a hightened anxiety. She knew that Raditz had many reservations concerning a situation where she came face-to-face with Nappa. Raditz was quite afraid of the outcome of such a meeting. Bra kept her eyes glued to Nappa. She had heard a few stories about the bald giant and she was fascinated to finally see him in person. _So this is the guy that raised Daddy?_ _What an amazing opportunity! To interact with the man who undoubtedly shaped Daddy into the man he is today!_ she observed while carefully shielding her thoughts behind a mental wall so that Raditz didn't accidentally overhear them. Even though she used human common when having private thoughts, she wasn't sure if the telepathic link would translate her thoughts for Raditz, or if he'd be completely clueless, or somewhere in between.

The mustachioed saiyan continued speaking to his subordinate, switching into saiyashi as he did so because he assumed that the blue-haired girl wouldn't be able to follow along. "I never knew you to have trouble with the ladies, Raditz. But I see that she has settled down considerably ever since laying her eyes on _me_. Perhaps you ought to let me have a go at her, eh? I will make sure she is nice and docile for you when I am done with her. I promise to give her back to you in relatively one piece."

Bra gritted her teeth and struggled not to show her disgust over Nappa's crudity. Her previous awe and respect for him had completely and instantly vanished. _This is the type of guy who raised Daddy? No way!_ Her next thoughts formed in her mind with no reservation of hiding them from Raditz. _He's such a _creeper_! Who the hell does he think he is! I oughta kick his ass! No one talks about me like that!_

Raditz clenched his fists, trying to reign in his anger. His tail twitched in agitation. Just like he didn't understand when Bra spoke in her native language, he didn't understand the exact words she had used in her thoughts either. But due to their link, the emotion behind the thought was potent enough that he could take a good guess what she had been thinking. Her indignation slammed into him and wasn't helping him to remain calm.

It was unfortunate that the girl was fluent in saiyashi. Otherwise, she'd have had no idea what had been said about her and without her rage exacerbating his own, Raditz might not have had as much difficulty handling the situation. Having just narrowly escaped a confrontation with the Ginyu Force over a claim on Bra, a second and more derogatory challenge for her so soon after the first was making Raditz's instincts go mad. Her heightened emotions fueled the instinctual urge to defend her honor and establish his claim. But he knew that acting upon these desires would be counterproductive.

_"Bulla, you need to calm down,"_ the long-haired saiyan spoke into his charge's mind. _"Your emotions are clouding my decisions. If I cannot persuade Nappa that you are not worth his interest, then I cannot protect you from him."_

The teenager was stunned enough for her anger to deflate. For the first time, she spoke back to him through the link. _"You mean he's being serious? You think he's going to try to..."_

Raditz interrupted her message. _"There is no doubt about it. He has already considered bedding you. It will be very difficult to convince him otherwise."_

The long-haired saiyan answered his superior, also in saiyashi, secretly knowing that Bra was fluent. "The girl is not your type, Nappa. I know your taste in women and she will not satisfy you."

Nappa let out a loud guffaw. "So you have already sampled her then? Not much of a fuck, eh? I find that hard to believe since you have such high standards! She is a pretty little thing. Looks alone, I cannot imagine that she would not entertain me for at least a little while! Let me have a go at her, Raditz. I am far less picky than you are. I am certain that I can get one off in her! So what do you say? Let me try her out for a bit? You _know_ I could just take her from you if I wanted to. It is not like you could stop me. But I figure that since she _is_ your find that I would at least give you some respect and ask nicely before helping myself. But if you do not want to share, then I _will_ take her from you and you will not get her back."

Raditz's anger escalated against his will. He crouched down, ready to spring into action. His tail lashed from side to side. "You will not fucking touch her!" he yelled as launched himself at the bigger man.

Nappa had been anticipating his subordinate's attack. He had been intentionally goading the younger man into a fight, a battle to determine who would win the right to claim Bra as his own. And Nappa knew that the younger man was no match.

Raditz flew at the larger man with a cocked fist, ready to slam it into his opponent's face. Unfortunately, the long-haired man was much slower and far weaker than the older man. Just as Raditz struck out with his fist, Nappa side-stepped the attack and struck a single blow downward with his elbow, connecting with the center of Raditz's back. An audible crack filled the air as the younger saiyan's spine snapped. Raditz cried out in pain as he hit the dirt with a heavy thud. Dust flew into the air around the prone man.

Bra watched the scene in horror. It had all happened so fast, she hadn't had time to react. If she hadn't been so stunned by Raditz's sudden attack and Nappa's subsequent counter-attack, she could have easily intervened. But now, Raditz was on the ground, helpless and in tremendous pain. Nappa stood over the fallen saiyan, laughing sadistically. She looked upon Raditz with tears in her eyes and her hands clasped over her mouth. _I'm so stupid! Why didn't I stop this? Why did I let this happen?_ she berated herself.

When Bra's shock wore off, she took a step forward to go to Raditz's side. "Oh, Raditz!" she called out.

"No, Bulla! Stay back!" Raditz shouted in galactic standard, pain filling his voice. Bra halted. "Get away from here! Run!" he pleaded.

The pain was so bad in Raditz's back that his vision was blurry. But he could see that Bra wanted desperately to get to him. He could sense her fear for his safety and her desire to save him. But he knew that if she came near, it would be all over for her. Deep down, he knew that it was already over for her – there was no way that she'd be able to get away from Nappa now. But if she kept her distance, at least she'd have a running chance.

"Please, Bulla. Run! As fast as you can!"

Nappa's chortles started to wane, but he was clearly still full of mirth after listening to Raditz's desperate pleas. Switching to galactic standard, the bald man taunted, "That's right, cutie! Run away! Make it more fun for me! I always enjoy a good workout before a good fuck!"

"Yea?" Bra responded angrily. "Well you can go fuck _yourself_!"

Raditz fearfully watched as Nappa slowly began to stroll towards Bra. Even more horrific was the fact that the blue-haired girl was holding her ground instead of fleeing like Raditz had begged of her. The long-haired man agonized over the fact that he could do nothing to save her. With his legs paralyzed, it was all he could do to hold his upper body up off of the ground with his arms and watch as his fears became reality. Tragically, he could sense that Bra wasn't the least bit afraid of Nappa. Raditz tried to push a sense of danger and urgency to the girl via the link, but he could feel her brush those aside. The only worries that Bra harbored were for Raditz's safety. The long-haired saiyan was awestruck by this fact and at the same time, mortified. _She ought to be terrified for her own safety, not mine,_ he lamented.

Bra's eyes never left Nappa's face as he advanced towards her. She was angry at him, but kept her thoughts and emotions in check. She was desperate to get to Raditz so she could tend to his injury, but the despicable monster was between her and her companion. She knew she had to tread carefully over the next few minutes. She couldn't do anything that would draw suspicion from Nappa – he would surely report back to her father and she couldn't have the past version of her sire scrutinizing her if she wanted her identity to remain a secret.

Nappa closed the gap between the two of them. "Not gonna run, eh?" he teased. "No matter. I'll just have to ride you twice as hard!"

The mustachioed man latched a large hand around the halfling's tiny wrist. Bra easily twisted out of his grasp and took a step back. Nappa was a bit surprised that she had squirmed out of his strong grip, but his surprise morphed into delight when he deduced that the girl wasn't going to let him bed her so easily.

"Ah, a slippery little minx!" the bald saiyan taunted. "I like females who play hard-to-get!"

Nappa made another grab at Bra's arm. Again, the girl twisted away from her would-be captor, but this time, she twirled around behind him and gave him a hard push between his shoulder blades. The giant hadn't expected her to be so nimble and he stumbled forward a few paces as a result. With his second failed attempt at restraining Bra, his amusement began to wane, replaced with agitation. He spun around to face her and released a pent up growl as he lunged at her.

Bra calmly waited as the brute made his next sloppy attack. After Nappa's first two attempts to grab her, she had already learned enough from him to deduce that he wasn't much of a threat. Although many times stronger than Raditz, the giant saiyan was still several times weaker than she. His movements seemed very slow compared to her own. And he had a very short temper, one which was quickly clouding his judgment and would make him all the easier to defeat. Moments ago, Bra had been worried that she's have to display her true strength in order to defeat him. Now, she realized that all she had to do was manipulate Nappa like a puppet and he would do all the work for her.

Meanwhile, from his position on the ground, Raditz watched, dumbfounded, as Bra nimbly avoided each and every one of Nappa's increasingly forceful attacks. Although the long-haired saiyan knew that his female companion had a hidden level of strength, he had never imagined that she was strong enough to defend herself against a deviant who was as ferocious as Nappa. Yet, there she was, right before his very eyes, pulling off what he would have thought was unfathomable. As he watched her dance around her foe, he couldn't help but marvel at the beauty and grace of her movements.

With overwhelming curiosity plaguing him, Raditz managed to shift his weight onto one elbow so that he could free up the other hand to click on his scouter. He patiently watched the lens as the device measured the ki readings of the two combatants. Finally, the display gave him two readings. The first one indicated Nappa, which, as expected, read a little over 5800. But the second number was the one that had surprised him. According to his scouter, Bra's power level was a mere 64. _H-how is that possible?_ Raditz scoffed. _She should not even be able to stand up against him, let alone thwart his attacks!_

Raditz's thoughts echoed in Bra's mind, nearly distracting her so much that she had almost allowed Nappa to deliver a strike. As the blow approached, she again tapped into her ki, as she had done for all of the other attacks thus far. She instantly raised it to a point high enough that she could dodge his fist, and then she immediately dropped it back down to almost nothing. The use of her energy happened so fast that she had hoped that it wouldn't even register as a blip on the scouters of either saiyan. Raditz's observations, which had been unintentionally transmitted to her, confirmed what she had hoped. She now knew that she could safely utilize her energy without detection, so long as she was fast enough while doing so. _Knowledge that would've been useful long ago had I known then,_ Bra cursed as she momentarily reflected on the many incidents she had encountered thus far where a quick burst of ki would have helped her during her journey through the past.

The halfling refocused her attention on the brute fighting her. The anger she had had over the disgusting remarks he had made about her had vanished as their little battle waged on. She had released her emotions and adopted a strategic and methodical approach to their engagement. _This is just like fighting a bull,_ she observed as she dodged away from yet another of Nappa's attempts to latch onto her. _I just have to remain in control._

Meanwhile, Nappa was growing furious. Every time he thought he had the girl cornered, she'd slip out of his grasp yet again. All the more irritating was that she was able, from time to time, to use his own momentum against him. Twice already she had tripped him as she side-stepped him, sending him to the dirt-caked ground on the second occasion.

As Nappa's anger grew, his attacks grew more brutal. He was no longer simply trying to capture Bra; he was trying to subdue her in any way possible, even if that meant busting up her pretty little face. The bald giant threw a series of punches at the teen's face. She avoided them all and on the final strike, she ducked below his arm, grabbed his wrist with both of her hands, twisted, and, using his forward momentum, threw him to the ground.

Bra leaped back several paces as Nappa jumped up from the ground. He was panting heavily and glared at her with the angriest expression she had ever seen. She waited for him to make his next move. Surprisingly, he restrained himself from launching at her in blind anger as he had done several times already. _He's learning,_ she realized quickly. She put herself on alert for his next move which would undoubtedly be a lot more unpredictable than he had been thus far. _If he's getting smart, then he's probably gonna start doing things that I can't avoid so easily. Which means I don't know how much longer I can keep up this charade. I have to end this quickly. I have to incapacitate him._

A sadistic grin spread across Nappa's face as an idea came to his mind. _Let us see this bitch avoid this!_ He began to gather his power, preparing it for a massive attack. He was tired of toying with the blue-haired girl. He wasn't even interested in fucking her anymore. The only thing that would satisfy him now was to see those big blue eyes of hers bulging out of her purpling face as he wrapped his massive hands around her neck and squeezed the life out of her.

From his vantage point on the ground, Raditz watched the numbers on his scouter climb as his superior powered up. _He is going to kill her!_ the long-haired saiyan realized. With terror as his motivation and fuel, Raditz did the best he could do to gather all of his remaining energy into a ball of ki in his right hand. Slowly and painfully, he stretched the appendage towards the bald giant and launched the attack.

Nappa was just about to charge at Bra again, this time with all of his strength and energy to back it up for a much needed boost of speed, when he suddenly felt pain and heat burning his back. The attack disrupted his concentration, causing most of his gathered energy to disperse. But the burning sensation was rather weak and his armor had shielded him from the most of it. Nappa turned to face the direction from whence the ki ball had come and wasn't surprised to see Raditz laying there, barely holding himself up on his elbows.

"You weak little shit," Nappa growled condescendingly at his subordinate. "I'll teach you for interfering."

The mustachioed man gathered his own ball of ki in his hand, readying to return the favor to Raditz. He cockily strolled closer to the prone man; he wanted to launch his attack at point blank range, to see the look of horror on his comrade's face when the fatal blow was delivered. But he didn't get the opportunity. He was no more than three steps closer to his helpless target when a terrible and sharp pain struck the back of his head. Nappa immediately forgot about Raditz and relinquished his energy as he grabbed the wound on his head. He was startled to see blood on his palm when he withdrew it from the injury.

Bra yelled, "You leave Raditz alone!" as she threw another rock at Nappa. "I'm your target! Come get me!"

The giant avoided the second rock thrown at him. His eyes met Bra's and a dangerous grin darkened his face. "With pleasure," he snarled.

Nappa quickly gathered some of his dispersed ki and charged at Bra. She waited for him in a ready stance as he came at her much faster than he had before. _Now's the time,_ she coached herself. _Now's the time to take him out. So make it count._

The bald man threw all of his weight at the girl. He didn't care what damage he'd do to himself while tackling her. He was simply too angry to formulate any other plan of attack other than to overwhelm her with the entirety of his strength. He figured that once he had her pinned beneath him, no amount of squirming would release her from his grasp. So he flew at her with his arms outstretched, ready to crush her tiny form beneath his powerful one.

Bra was more than ready for him. He came at her, airborne, with the obvious intent of knocking her to the ground and pinning her beneath him. Bravely, she didn't move, even though every cell in her body screamed at her to react. But she had to wait until just the right moment to counter his attack. The microsecond before the brute collided with her, she fell onto her back of her own accord. She pushed her feet upwards into the air, hoping that she had timed it just right. Then she felt Nappa's massive form come to a sudden halt on the bottoms of her feet.

Nappa was frozen in place, doubled over, with Bra's feet buried in his midsection. His arms, strangely, were still stretched out in front of him where, fractions of a second prior, Bra had been standing. The giant had collided so hard with the girl's double upward kick that his armor had cracked and the wind had been knocked out of him.

Bra was using all of the little strength she dared tap into to hold the large man up and prevent him from collapsing on top of her. She managed to shift her legs in such a way that he fell over to the side. A deep thud filled the air as Nappa's injured body hit the dirt. Slowly and carefully, Bra rose to her feet. He legs felt heavy and wobbly after having taken such a hard impact. Otherwise, she was okay. She looked over at the bald giant to study her handiwork. Satisfied that he'd be out for a few minutes, she turned her attention to other matters.

"Raditz! Are you okay?" the blunette asked as she rushed over to her fallen companion. She knelt by his side and began to inspect his injury. The tears in her eyes made the task difficult as they blurred her vision.

The long-haired saiyan was too stunned to immediately answer. He couldn't believe that he had just witnessed this small young woman best Nappa. And she had done it without actually fighting back!

"H-how did you do that?" Raditz asked, bewildered.

"Do what?" Bra asked with a sniffle and then quickly instructed, "You need to lie flat or you're going to hurt yourself worse."

But the long-haired saiyan cared nothing for her concerns at that moment. "How did you beat him, Bulla? You didn't even fight back! So why aren't you dead?"

The teenager said as her tears began to dry, "Nappa fought stupidly. He was sloppy. He wasn't thinking when he was attacking me."

"That's a load of shit. You're stronger than him, aren't you? I don't know how you could be so strong and avoid detection on my scouter, but I know it's true."

Bra looked her companion in the eye for a long moment, then argued, "I'm not that strong. Really. If Nappa had been using his head, I wouldn't have had a chance against him. He'd have killed me in his first attack."

"You're lying," Raditz growled. For once, he could smell her deceit. And for the first time, thanks to their mental link, he could feel her deception.

The demi-saiyan knew that she had finally been caught in a lie. "I just got lucky, okay? Can we just leave it at that and call it a day?"

"I think not," called out a voice that wasn't Raditz's.

The sound of said voice instantly filled Bra with a mix of emotions. Fear. Relief. Uncertainty. Her adrenaline surged to the surface. She didn't even have to raise her eyes to know who the owner of the voice was. She was too afraid to look up and have all her hopes dashed, to have all her fears come true. That she would look up and he wouldn't really be there, that he was a figment of her imagination. To look up and find that he really was there, to see the image in her mind come to life. Whether she wanted it to be true or not, there was no misplacing that voice.

Raditz felt the sudden shift in Bra's disposition and sent her a questioning probe, wondering why she would react so strongly to someone whom she had never met before. Certainly, he was concerned about the new arrival, but his concern for Bra overrode everything else. Before the teenager's thoughts and fears could raise any questions, she slammed all her mental walls up and completely shut out the link she shared with Raditz. She could feel him probing her barriers, but she ignored him and chose to focus on the more dangerous, newest arrival. She didn't yet look up from Raditz's face, but she heard a set of footsteps as they quietly paced towards Nappa.

"I watched most of your little battle with my general," the man drawled, "but I don't believe that a fair assessment of your abilities can be gained from such a pathetic confrontation. You were right, however. Nappa fought foolishly. But I refuse to believe that his undoing was the result of his own recklessness alone. You have piqued my curiosity, girl. I wish to test your abilities myself."

Bra and Raditz shared a silent moment looking at each other with fear etched in both sets of eyes. The latter was afraid what would happen to the girl should she face off against the dangerous man. The former was afraid that some of her secrets were about to be discovered should she agree to do battle.

"Don't do it," Raditz whispered. "You were able to beat Nappa. But not _him_. He's not foolish like Nappa is. This man is much stronger and much more cunning. He will not show you mercy."

Before Bra could answer, the challenger bellowed, "Stand up, girl, and face me."

The blue-haired girl flinched. Just hearing him call her by the nickname that her father most often used for her, even though this adversary had no idea the relation they shared, even though he said it without any of the love and affection she was accustomed to, sent pangs of longing through her being. But she knew that this man who was calling her to battle was not the same as the man she knew, the one she had left behind in the future. And it pained her.

To Raditz, Bra answered, "I have to."

"Bulla!" he pleaded as he reached for her, but it was too late to stop her.

Slowly, the half-breed rose to her feet. She lifted her head and bravely turned to face her challenger. Looking calm and confident and decked out in military armor was the one person she both hoped not to run into and, at the same time, yearned to see again. In all his regal glory stood none other than her father. Vegeta, Prince of the Saiyans.

* * *

**Story Notes:**  
Regarding Nappa's power level, I did some research on this. According to dragonballwikia, two official sources give him two different power levels during the Vegeta Saga; 4000 and 7000. I chose to use the higher of the two even though I was tempted to use the lower stat. Initially, I felt that 7000 was too high in comparison to the famous 9000 reading given to Goku upon his arrival in the battle against Nappa and Vegeta. It just seemed, to me, that a difference of 2000 was too small to explain how Goku defeated Nappa with one blow.  
Then I realized, Nappa had been doing all the fighting up until that point and had also taken some damage, which could explain how he was defeated so easily. I realized that it's not likely that his power level was still as high as 7000 when Goku arrived. So, that was how I determined a base stat for Nappa's power level. I then shaved off some points since this chapter takes place roughly three years prior to the Vegeta Saga. That's how I determined Nappa's ki reading to be about 5800.


	13. Lesson Thirteen

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Thirteen  
Control Your Strength_

_ There was once a time when I was very young, old enough to have known better, yet too immature to consider the consequences of my actions, when I had hurt Momma very badly. I was four years old at the time. I had gone shopping with Momma and when I saw a particular toy, I simply had to have it. But Momma had told me 'no' and in a very selfish act, I lashed out at her. Although I knew that I was many times stronger than Momma and I didn't yet know how to reign in that strength, it didn't stop me from the tantrum that resulted with me kicking her in the shin and shattering the bone._

_ I instantly regretted what I had done the moment Momma collapsed to the ground, sobbing in pain. I was absolutely mortified that I had hurt her so badly. I wanted to apologize. I wanted to help her. But I was too afraid to go near her for fear that I would hurt her further. I remember crying hysterically because I had no idea what to do to help Momma and to make up for my horrific mistake. I watched, frozen in place, as complete strangers came to my mother's aid._

_ Over the course of the next few days following my outburst, Momma tried to behave no differently towards me than she had before it had happened. But I could see the look in her eyes that said that she was secretly afraid of me, afraid of the strength I could not yet control. For a long time after the incident, she was extra cautious around me, taking extra care to make sure that I was no danger to her. _

_ Momma needn't have been afraid, however. The outcome of my tantrum had traumatized me so badly that I didn't dare perform a repeat of my actions. I, too, was extra careful around her for fear that I would hurt her again. It was a terrifying and traumatizing experience, being unable to be close to one's mother for fear of causing her harm. Despite the extra caution Momma had taken during the week following my outburst, she seemed to sense that I was afraid of her as well and eventually she got over her own hesitations in order to show me that despite my horrible mistake, she still loved me just as much. She had forgiven me._

_ Daddy hadn't been as kind._

_ The evening on the day that I had hurt Momma was one I will never forget. For the first time in my life, Daddy had opened the kinship bond between us to its entirety, holding nothing back. He unleashed all his thoughts and feelings upon me, forcing me to feel his fear, his anger, his disappointment. It was one of the most excruciating experiences in my life. He hadn't spoken even one word to me, yet he had told me volumes by his emotions alone. I never felt so much shame and regret._

_ When Daddy's wrath boiled down to a simmer a few days later, he requested my presence in the Gravity Simulation Room. I was terrified to go. I recalled a few occasions, when Trunks had done something bad, Daddy had ordered Trunks to the GSR and when they emerged a few hours later, Trunks was always battered and bruised. I feared the same outcome for myself on that day. But I dared not disobey Daddy. The result would be far worse than a rough spar._

_ When I arrived at the GSR, I cautiously peered into the room. I already knew that Daddy was inside waiting for me. I tried to get a sense of how he was feeling, but he had kept the kinship bond very quiet over the past few days. My visual assessment of Daddy's form didn't help much. He stood in the middle of the room with his back to me._

_ "Shut the door behind you, girl," Daddy called out without turning to face me._

_ Reluctantly, I followed his command. I entered the room and pressed the button on the wall which caused the door to slide shut and auto-lock. I waited in place for Daddy to give his next instruction._

_ He turned around. I expected to see some of the wrath on his face that I had seen a few nights prior, but it was absent. His expression was almost stoic, but searching hard enough, I could see disappointment. I began to fill with shame again. Daddy's next words surprised me._

_ "I am to blame for this," he said. "I should have taught you sooner like I did for your brother. I made the mistake of assuming that you wouldn't need the training at as early of an age as Trunks did. He was much stronger than you are now when he was barely a year old. I shouldn't have thought that you were less of a danger to your mother despite your lower strength."_

_ Tears streamed down my face. I still felt just as guilty for my actions. Now I only felt worse. I was ashamed that Daddy was taking the blame for my own childish, selfish actions. And I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to control myself in the future. I didn't want to picture myself as such a horrible danger to Momma._

_ "Dry your tears," Daddy commanded. "Your training starts today. I am going to teach you how to control your saiyan strength."_

_ "Are you gonna beat me up like you do to Trunks?" I hiccuped._

_ Daddy was puzzled for a moment, then answered as soon as he realized why I would ask such a thing. "No. I'm not going to make you spar with me like I do with Trunks. You're far from being ready for that. I'm going to take you through an exercise that should help you establish an awareness of your physical strength and how to manipulate it."_

_ I nodded and wiped the tears from my face. Daddy dug into his pocket and removed a capsule. He pressed the button on top and tossed it to the floor beside him. When the smoke cleared, I was surprised to see that a large crate of eggs had appeared._

_ Daddy explained, "You are going to be catching these eggs when I throw them to you. I will not toss them lightly to you either. You'll have to increase your strength to keep up with the speed and power I put behind each one, but you'll have to minimize your strength in order to catch the eggs without breaking them. If you don't want to wear raw eggs, then I suggest you learn quickly. When you can catch one hundred of these eggs consecutively without breaking a single one, then I shall consider your strength mastered. Any questions, girl?"_

_ "Did Trunks do this too?" I asked._

_ "More or less. Are you ready?"_

_ I was very nervous. I wasn't sure if I'd be successful at all. But I had to give it a try. How else was I to learn how to control my strength? I nodded and crouched into a ready position. Daddy picked up two eggs in each hand._

_ "Very well then. We begin now," he forewarned as he threw all four eggs at me at once. _

_ I caught the first egg, which promptly broke in my hands to weep through my fingers. The other three struck me in various places on my torso, covering me in egg goop. I looked up at Daddy, shocked and horrified by my immediate failure, only to see that he had rearmed himself with four more eggs. Before I could protest, those four eggs were launched at me as well. I forced myself to forget about the first four that had splattered on me to concentrate on my objective. When all four of those eggs had broken on me as well, the cycle repeated itself over and over again._

_ It took a few months for me to accomplish the task of catching all one hundred eggs without breaking a single one. Despite wearing – easily – thousands of eggs during those few months, the payoff was worth it. I was no longer afraid of my strength and, as a result, I had grown much more confident in myself._

_~from The Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Age 759, Third Galactic Quarter, Day 96 (Approx. 27 September 759)  
Location: Frieza Planet 53

Bra stood as tall and confidently as she possibly could despite her heart beating wildly in her chest and her adrenaline coursing through her veins. Her nerves felt all jittery. She felt like her stomach was flipping and twisting around. Miraculously, she maintained her composure as she watched the younger version of her father at the opposite end of the vacant lot.

Seeing her father was a surreal experience for Bra. He looked so different from how she knew him. Never before had she seen him with a tail. He was leaner now than he had become in his older years. And it was so very strange to see her father at half the age that she was accustomed to. Gone were the subtle wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. The few stray strands of gray hair at his temples were absent as well. _Daddy looks like he could be about twenty,_ she observed,_ but he's gotta be like... twenty-seven or twenty-eight._

Prince Vegeta none-too-gently nudged Nappa with one of his gold-tipped boots. The giant, laying unconscious on the ground, was flipped over quite roughly by the prince's shove. Rousing, Nappa snorted and grunted as his eyes cracked open.

"Eh? Wha' gives?" the bald man mumbled. Upon seeing his prince looming over him, he said a little more clearly, "Eh, Prince Vegeta! Why are you waking me up so early in the morning?"

"Nappa, you fool!" scolded the shorter man. "It's late in the afternoon and you just had your ass handed to you by a little girl! Now get your ass up before you humiliate yourself further!"

Nappa wasted no time leaping to his feet. Vegeta's words had served to jog his memory and his eyes landed on Bra. "Ah! I remember now! I was just about to teach that blue-haired bitch a lesson!"

The giant was about to launch himself, yet again, at Bra when Vegeta stopped him. "You will do no such thing, Nappa. You've already proven that you're no match for her. I will be her opponent now."

"Aw, alright, Vegeta. Even though I was just getting started... But let me know if you want me to step in, okay? I wouldn't mind finishing her off!"

Vegeta ignored his subordinate. He turned to look down upon the paralyzed Raditz instead. "And you," the prince growled. "_You_ are a disgrace! Can't even get up after one blow! I don't know why I bother keeping you around, Raditz! You are more trouble than you are worth!"

From his position on the ground, the paralyzed Raditz did the best he could to bow his head submissively, like a wounded dog. "My apologies, my prince."

Vegeta scoffed. "Apologies... And do these apologies extend to cover the constant delays in your purge assignments? I can only imagine that this _girl_ has something to do with your tardiness. Am I right? What have I told you about bringing home your sex toys? Must I tell you,_ yet again_, that I will not tolerate insubordination, Raditz?"

Bra was a bit offended being referred to so crudely. She spoke up to defend her honor, but it came out sounding a lot meeker than she had desired. "I'm not a sex toy," she quietly protested.

Vegeta turned and faced the teenage girl. He could see the facade she was trying to project, one that was calm and confident. But he could pick up the minute details that gave away her fear. The sweet scent of her adrenaline, the quick thumping of her heart, her dilated pupils, and the nervous fidgeting of her fingers were just a few examples. He was surprised that she was able to stand and face him despite her fear. _She is either very brave or very stupid,_ he thought.

Bra didn't like how the prince stared her down. As a matter of fact, she felt very uncomfortable beneath his scrutiny. He had a predatory look to him. His obsidian eyes – eyes she knew so well yet were now so different – traveled down her body and back up again. But his stare was not full of the lust she had seen in Nappa's eyes a few minutes ago. No. Vegeta's eyes were assessing her, sizing her up, evaluating her worth. He was deciding whether she was worth his time or not. She had never seen such a cold and calculating look in her father's eyes before, and she found that, for the first time ever, she was truly afraid of him. She found herself wishing that she hadn't spoken up and attracted his attention.

On the ground behind Bra, Raditz watched and waited, helpless to stop the blunette from making a huge mistake. _Bulla was lucky that she was able to defeat Nappa. I doubt that luck will be with her if she goes through with answering Prince Vegeta's challenge._ He gritted his teeth in frustration. _I have to talk some sense into her!_

_"Bulla!"_ Raditz reached out to her telepatically. _"Please don't fight him. You've already proven that you're strong. Stronger than myself - although it pains me to admit it. You don't have to fight against Prince Vegeta to prove yourself. He's only trying to get you to fight him because it'll be amusing to him. He is far more ruthless than Nappa! Don't risk yourself by falling into his game!"_

Bra sighed. She didn't know what to do. Hearing Raditz plead with her to back down from the challenge weakened her resolve. There were so many things that were running through her mind at the moment, and Raditz's fears for her safety only exacerbated her burden and multiplied her own fears.

Yes, Bra was very afraid. She was afraid that fighting her father and revealing her true strength would raise many questions. She was afraid that _not_ fighting him would anger him, bringing results that she couldn't predict. She was afraid of the man standing in front of her, a man wearing the younger shell of her father, a man from whom she so very much wanted comfort, a man who was a complete stranger to her now. Nothing was more evident of their estrangement than the fact that she couldn't feel their kinship bond. She had hoped that perhaps it might be there, despite the many years into the past she had traveled. But the bond was gone, leaving her feeling empty and destitute. The many pieces inside of her, warring with each other, made her so confused and frustrated that she wished that she could simply break down and cry. But she pushed the threat of those tears aside knowing that it would do no good to fall apart now.

Vegeta, meanwhile, pressed a button on his scouter and took a ki reading of the blue-haired girl. "So your energy reading is barely out of the double digits," he commented as he turned off his scouter and removed it from his face. "I don't know how you've managed to manipulate the sensors on our scouters to give us false results, but what I _do_ know is that you're much stronger than you would have us believe."

"I'm really not," Bra denied weakly. "Your ally there," she pointed to Nappa, "was rushing me in a blind rage. It was easy to use his own strength against him." There was some truth to her claim, yet now, her excuse sounded very empty and flat, even to her own ears.

Vegeta certainly wasn't convinced. He smirked, knowingly. "You aren't being completely truthful, girl. Are you? While I'm more than aware that Nappa's temper can get the better of him from time to time, I'm also aware that it would take someone with considerable strength to be able to overwhelm him so easily."

Bra wanted to refute the accusation. She wanted to tell him that he was wrong. But how could she lie to her own father? Sure, it had been easy to convince Raditz to believe her little white lies. But she'd never been able to hide the truth from her father. He always immediately caught her in a fib. She found that now was no different. She was afraid that he'd sense her deception, despite the fact that their bond didn't exist in this era. Somehow, she knew that he'd know if she lied to him. Even if he would _not_ have been able to detect her deceit, she was too nervous at the moment to have pulled it off convincingly. Instead, she remained silent.

Vegeta pressed the issue, however. "So, Bulla, is it? Tell me, Bulla... How can you avoid being detected by our scouters, hmm? We're all curious to know."

Indeed, the other two saiyans were very interested to learn the girl's secret. Nappa wanted to know how such a small girl had been able to toy with him so easily. He knew that there was an explanation. It drove him mad just thinking about the possibility of losing against someone who was supposedly so weak. Raditz, too, was extremely curious. He had been trying to find out this little secret of hers for a long time already. Every time he thought he had Bra's ki level figured out, she'd do something to both surprise him and place doubt inside his mind. Even though he was afraid for her safety, he found that he was also very eager to discover the truth.

Bra stammered. "I... I don't know..." was all she managed to muster up.

Again, the prince wasn't convinced. "I think you _do _know. But I don't care so much about how you can do it as I care about strong you really are." He turned to face his general. "Nappa, monitor our fight. If you manage to get a reading from her, I want to know what it is."

"You got it, Vegeta," the bald man obeyed as he activated the ki sensor on his scouter.

"Wait!" Bra protested.

Vegeta quirked an eyebrow. "What?" he barked.

"We can't fight here."

"Why not?" the prince demanded.

Even though Bra knew that she could hide her power from the scouters, there was the possibility that she might accidentally set them off. And the last thing she wanted to do was to take that risk around so many people where there were sure to be more of Frieza's soldiers lurking within scouter range. That would draw too much unwanted attention.

Thinking quickly, the girl reasoned, "Do you think that if we started fighting here, in the middle of this city, we won't alert other soldiers? If I'm not mistaken, we aren't far from the military base."

"So what?" Vegeta responded.

"So... you don't want any of them to interrupt us, do you? I'm sure every soldier within a hundred mile radius will come rushing over here if you start powering up. And by the way... I very recently became pals with the Ginyu Force. If they come out here to investigate unusually high power levels and find that you're giving me a beating, how long do you think it will take for them to retaliate against you on my behalf?"

Vegeta gritted his teeth. The girl was right. Even if she was bluffing about her alleged friendship with Ginyu and his goons, he didn't want their fight interrupted before he could fairly assess her abilities.

"Fine," he snapped. "We'll take this elsewhere. Come, Nappa."

The two able-bodied saiyans started to take to the air when Bra interrupted them yet again.

"Wait!" she called out to them. "What about Raditz?"

Vegeta and Nappa looked down at their crippled comrade.

"What about him?" Nappa sneered.

"We can't just leave him there!" Bra protested. "What if someone comes along and finds him like that?"

"Well, then, I guess he shouldn't have gotten himself injured," Vegeta snarled. "He's a saiyan, even if he's a third-class. He can take care of himself, injury or no."

"Well, I'm not leaving him here," the girl argued stubbornly. She stomped towards Raditz with the intention of carrying him herself if she had to.

Raditz immediately knew what Bra was planning to do. "Don't do this, Bulla," he weakly protested. "I cannot bear such shame in front of my superiors." Despite the wounds that would surely be delivered to his pride by being hauled around by the small girl, he'd rather bear the humiliation than to watch her fly off to do battle and to be left to wonder about the outcome.

Bra refused to listen to him and Raditz was too powerless to stop her from lifting him onto her back. "Comfy?" she asked, earning a petulant grumble in return.

Above, Nappa snickered as he watched as Raditz's large form was draped over Bra's backside. "Is _that_ all I have to do to get a piece of her ass?" he sneered. "Hey, girly! I think I hurt my back, too! Can I have a ride next?"

"Shut up!" Bra snapped. "Let's go."

Wordlessly, the quartet flew away from the city and into the uninhabited wilds of the planet.

* * *

An hour later and several hundred miles away, Vegeta landed in a rocky field with little vegetation for miles around. Nappa landed next, followed by Bra carrying Raditz. As soon as the girl set her cargo on the ground, Vegeta lunged at her, giving her almost no advance warning. She had barely a moment to react to the strike that he aimed at her face. Instinctively, she blocked the blow by crossing both arms in front of her. The force of the attack had come much stronger than she had anticipated. He had almost broken through her defense, but a short infusion of ki into her arms prevented the strike from following through. As her attacker pulled back, she quickly diminished her ki to avoid detection.

But Vegeta was relentless. Unlike Nappa, who had procrastinated between attacks while his temper flared, the prince quickly followed his first strike with a second. And a third. And a fourth. And so on. _He's not holding back!_ Bra quickly realized. _He's really trying to hurt me!_ In all the spars she had had with her father, never had he tried to cause her true physical harm. That he was doing so now alarmed the girl.

Despite this terror, Bra found that it was both very easy and very difficult to defend against him. Having been trained under her father, she was more than familiar with his fighting style and techniques. Granted, the moves he was using now felt like the unrefined versions of those she knew from the future. But at their core, the techniques were the same. If not for the gleefully malicious look in his eyes, she'd swear it was almost like she was back home, in the future, sparring with her father. So when Vegeta began to use some of his favorite combos, Bra was able to predict the sequence of his moves and she defended herself against them.

Still, this knowledge did not leave Bra feeling any more confident in this fight. She had to keep her ki as low as possible, whenever possible. She had to very carefully manipulate her ki so that it strengthened her when she needed it but she had to quickly release it so that Nappa couldn't get a reading on her. This meant that her ki was kept so low that even when she _did_ tap into it, it was only barely enough to avoid serious damage. She was already sustaining minor damage, such as welts and bruises, on her limbs.

Of course, Bra's ability to counter the prince's moves served to both annoy and surprise him. At first, Vegeta was merely toying with the girl. He wanted to see how well of a fighter she truly was. He had planned on testing her with moves that would catch her off guard, hoping that she'd slip and reveal herself. Was she really as weak as she claimed? Or would he find out that she was much stronger like he suspected? But as Vegeta ran through some of his simpler tactics, he quickly deduced that she was much more skilled than he initially gave her credit for. So he tested her with techniques that were increasingly more difficult to avoid.

On the sidelines, Nappa and Raditz watched with fascination, both monitoring the fight with their scouters. Nappa inwardly cheered for his prince, but was stunned when it became apparent that the girl wouldn't be defeated so easily. Raditz was equally awestruck when he, too, came to the realization that Bra had a very good chance of surviving this battle. Thus far, she was managing the fight very well and this eased some of his fears. However, she had yet to throw a single strike of her own and this greatly rekindled his worry for her. He was so caught up by his concern for the girl that he almost forgot to watch the display on his scouter. Initially, Bra's energy reading showed very little variance. But as the fight wore on, that reading began to grow more and more peculiar...

It wasn't too long into the fight that Bra began to realize that she was going to be in a small amount of danger quite soon. It wasn't the fight itself that was troubling her, however. It was the fact that her father kept pressing his attacks faster and harder. With every strike, she had to rely upon more and more of her ki. The faster pace didn't allow her the opportunity to disperse this ki before having to call upon it again to defend against his next attack. The danger lay in the inevitability of being discovered. _If things keep going at this rate, Nappa's going to be able to get an energy reading from me,_ she fretted. _But what can I do to stop it?_

Fortunately for Bra, Vegeta took a moment to pause his offense. He was mystified by the girl's ability to defend against his attacks. Her abilities were almost infuriating. As a matter of fact, the primary reason the prince had taken a break was because he found himself growing very frustrated with her. He needed a moment to clear his mind lest he begin to fight foolishly like Nappa had done earlier. _It's almost as if she knows how I'm going to attack her before I do it,_ he speculated. _Who could have possibly trained her? How is she able to predict my moves?_

Pushing his questions to the side, Vegeta called over his shoulder to his general, "Have you gotten a reading from her yet, Nappa?"

"Not yet, Vegeta," the mustachioed man answered. "It's too eratic. It's jumping all over the place. It elevates whenever you attack her, but it doesn't stay high long enough to record her actual energy reading."

Secretly, Raditz had been observing the same from his own scouter. At one point, he was certain that he had seen the numbers jump from 107 to over 2500, more than double his own maximum energy level of 950. But her ki had fallen too quickly. If Raditz hadn't been watching the readings, he'd likely have missed that particular spike. Something told him, however, that 2500, as impressive as it was, was not the full capacity of her strength.

Bra took the pause in the fight to recover from her father's onslaught. Her arms were very sore already, throbbing from the many impacts they had taken. She felt like she had been wailed on with a sledgehammer. There were countless red welts forming on her skin, welts that would surely become pretty purple blotches in a few short hours. In any other situation, she could have easily avoided such damage. But she dared not try. She was even too afraid to access her ki to simply quicken her healing abilities and take away the pain in her limbs.

While Bra rested, Vegeta had been digesting the little bit of information Nappa had provided about her energy levels. "So, the girl's ki elevates when she is defending herself?" he repeated as if to make sure he had gotten it right. "I suppose I'll just have to make things a little more difficult for her." To Bra, he said, "I'm feeling particularly generous today. If you can manage to land a blow on me, I'll let you live. How does that sound to you?"

_Sounds pretty shitty to me,_ Bra mused to herself, but didn't dare voice her opinion. The way she saw it, she was in a lose/lose situation. If she refused to try to hit her father in order to hide her power from him, she would then have to face the very strong possibility that he would try to punish her for her refusal. Although she thought it very unlikely, should her father actually follow through with the threat of killing her, she would be forced to display her power in order to protect herself. And thus, her refusal to strike him would be rendered worthless. The other option was to throw caution to the wind, land a blow, and then face the inevitable interrogation that would result. Either way she looked at it, she knew she was screwed.

Vegeta didn't give Bra much time to weigh her options. He launched himself at her again and resumed his assault, lashing out at her with a force that was several times faster and stronger than before. Bra continued her act, this time pretending as if she could just barely dodge and block his attacks even though she was familiar with his tactics. He threw variations of different strike combinations, trying to throw her off, but to no avail. Even though she appeared to have more difficulty with their fight, she still managed to avoid every blow. But it was her refusal to counter-attack was what was truly infuriating.

"Fight back, you cowardly little brat!" the prince taunted.

With his frustration growing, Vegeta infused his fists with large amounts of ki and loosed them upon the girl. Bra reacted quickly to defend herself against the ki blasts. Unfortunately, they came too quickly for her to maintain her facade. She raised her own energy to counter the attacks, elevating it to just above the amount of power Vegeta had put into the attacks. In that moment, both Nappa's and Raditz's scouters caught her ki reading.

"That's not possible!" Nappa shouted. "Her energy peaked at 5600 before it dropped off again! That's almost as high as _my_ power level!"

_And more than a third of Prince Vegeta's power level,_ Raditz noted.

Vegeta pressed his attacks harder still. He infused every strike with ki. It was all Bra could do to escape his blows without keeping her power elevated. _Shit!_ Bra cursed. _ I can't keep going like this! I could defend myself better if Nappa didn't have his damn scouter locked onto me..._ She had a sudden epiphany. _That's it! Without a scouter, Nappa won't be able to measure my power!_ Bra ducked beneath a right hook that Vegeta had thrown at her. Quickly, she fired a pencil thin beam of ki at Nappa and with exact precision, struck the device on Nappa's face. The scouter was demolished within a tiny explosion of sparks and metal debris.

Nappa freaked. "Hey! What the hell was _that_ for!" he bellowed. He cupped his eye where it had been singed from the explosion.

Vegeta knew exactly why the girl had destroyed the scouter. _So she clearly doesn't want her power level monitored,_ he observed. _No matter. I will still be able to gauge her strength by how well she fares against me._ What neither Bra nor Vegeta realized was that Raditz had activated his scouter at the beginning of the fight and was continuing to watch the blunette's ki reading.

Now that Nappa's scouter had been destroyed and Vegeta not wearing his own, Bra believed herself to be free to use her ki, forgetting all about the scouter Raditz was wearing. With renewed confidence, she increased her strength to match that of her father. She faced his attacks head-on and was now able to block them with ease. Vegeta was finally satisfied with the fact that the girl was no longer playing the coward and was facing him like a warrior. He noted, yet again, that she had a very strong defense. He found the challenge of breaking through that defense to be thrilling. The prince was disappointed, however, that she still refused to retaliate.

Vegeta lashed out with a series of jabs followed up by two right hooks. Bra stopped every one from landing. The prince tried a punch-kick combination. Again, the girl blocked the strikes. This went on for several long minutes with Vegeta working her defenses and Bra thwarting his attacks. It very soon became evident to Vegeta that the girl was much stronger than the 5600 power level reading Nappa had observed. The prince found that he was having to tap into more of his strength as he tried to break through her seemingly impenetrable defense. The joy he had been having in this battle was soon lost as he continued to increase his power to try to defeat her.

Bra continued to receive the brutal end of Vegeta's onslaught. As the fight drew on, the fears and doubts she had had at the start had waned significantly. To her knowledge, the threat of being detected by the scouters had been eliminated, leaving her free to do what she had to do in order to protect herself. And by this point in the battle, she had received so many blows from her father that she knew what to expect from him. She had believed him to be a threat before. But now, he had become a puzzle for her to figure out.

With her fears abated, this gave Bra time to actually observe the finer details of their battle. _Something is wrong,_ she soon realized. She took in her father's posture and composure. She could see that he was growing very frustrated. Angry, even. There was a mad fire in his eyes that said that he would stop at nothing to defeat her. The look in his eyes frightened her, but her mind had gone into scientist mode as she deduced that there was something else, something deeper, that wasn't quite right.

That was when Bra noticed Vegeta's physical status. _He's getting tired,_ she noted. _He's actually breaking a sweat. And he's out of breath. Is this fight _really_ that hard on him?_ For the first time since encountering this younger version of her father, Bra reached out with her ki sense and took in his energy. She gasped by what she found. _Daddy's energy... It's so small!_

When Vegeta had first arrived on the scene, Bra had been too terrified by the possible outcome of their reunion that the thought of checking his ki level hadn't even crossed her mind. She regretted having not done so in the first place. The amount of energy her father had now wasn't even a blip compared to the energy she was accustomed to feeling from him. If Bra could liken her father to anything, he was like the energy of the sun – large, bright, warm, and ever-reaching. By comparison, she was like a lighthouse – a bright source of light, but seen from only so far away and only when nothing larger or brighter by comparison was anywhere near her. But this younger version of her father... Compared to her, he was like a flashlight – just a small beam of light barely illuminating a tiny radius, one that could be blotted out with just a single hand.

When Bra realized how much weaker her father was right now, even compared to herself, she realized the horrible mistake she had made. _Daddy is no match for me. And if we keep fighting like this, he's going to figure this out very soon. I have to tone it down. But I've already shown him too much already. Even without the scouter, he knows a small extent of what I'm capable of. If I back off too quickly, he'll know something is up. But how can I concede the fight without him realizing that I'm faking my defeat?_

Luck was once again on Bra's side. Just as these thoughts crossed through her mind, Vegeta was plotting. _This girl is too good. Far better than she wants us to believe. But I will not be defeated by a mere girl. I am going to have to use the new techniques I have been working on. I had hoped not to rely on them until I had perfected them, but I see I have no choice._

The saiyan prince suddenly changed his stance to reflect his new tactic. Bra instantly recognized the fighting style, but hadn't expected him to utilize it. It was one that her father had taught her, but hadn't used much since it was one that he was no longer fond of by the time he had settled down on Earth.

Bra took advantage of the opportunity presented to her. As Vegeta threw the first few punches in this developing new technique of his, the teenager dropped her ki and allowed him to strike her as if she had been taken completely by surprise. Having finally found the opening he had been looking for, Vegeta was unrelenting. He followed up the first strike with two powerful blows that connected with the girl's midsection and a strong uppercut that caught her jaw. Bra went soaring backwards and fell to the ground, skidding across the dirt.

"Alright, Vegeta!" Nappa cheered from the sidelines. "That little bitch had it coming!"

Raditz, on the other hand, was mortified. He couldn't believe how quickly Vegeta's blows had sapped her of her strength. If he hadn't have seen her numbers plummet so dramatically, he wouldn't have believed it otherwise. He stared in shock as Bra remained motionless on the ground. Only the movement of her chest hitching as she tried to regain her breath verified that she was still alive. He reached out to her through their link to see if she was okay. But he was met with the mental walls she had erected sometime during the fight. The barriers were a good sign that she was still conscious, but her refusal to answer him made him worried.

On the ground, Bra struggled to regain her breath. Vegeta just about knocked the wind out of her before delivering that brutal uppercut. She had underestimated her father's strength after having assessed his energy level. She miscalculated and had taken her ki down way too low. _But this is probably a good thing,_ she rationalized. _If it feels this bad, then it must have looked even worse... I doubt I could have made it look any more convincing... _

Bra tapped into her ki just a little bit to help soothe the impact areas. As she did so, she opened her eyes a crack and gazed up into the darkening sky. Only... the sky wasn't really as dark as it appeared. There was a spot in the sky above her that was darker than the rest. As her sight came back into focus, she realized that that spot was actually a person. She opened her eyes the rest of the way and saw that it was her father flying down upon her with a foot extended, aiming for her face.

At the last minute, Bra rolled out of the way. Vegeta's foot slammed into the ground where Bra's head had been only a fraction of a second before hand. Barely recovered from the four devastating blows she had received, Bra rolled to her feet and crouched into a defensive position. Vegeta rose to his full height and turned towards the girl. He wore a look of sadism and malice on his face.

The fear Bra had once felt rebounded with a vengeance. Vegeta's follow up attack had taken her completely by surprise. She had never experienced this level of cruelty from her father before. Whenever they had sparred, anytime Vegeta had broken through her defenses to land a blow, he always, _always_, allowed her to recover and then he'd patiently explain to her the mistake she had made and how to improve from that mistake.

But not this Vegeta. This Vegeta was an opportunist. The moment Bra's defenses had collapsed, he took advantage of her vulnerability. And he was ruthless. He would stop at nothing to ensure the complete annihilation of his opponent.

_Oh my, Dende!_ Bra panicked._ What is Daddy doing? Why would he attack me like that?_

_ "Don't you get it?"_ that insufferable voice resurfaced in her mind. _"That man is not your father! One day he will be... But not yet. He doesn't know you as his daughter. He doesn't know love and compassion. All he knows now is pain and suffering."_

Bra responded fearfully. _You mean... He's _really_ trying to kill me!?_

_"Precisely."_

Bra felt sick as reality set in. _Daddy's not going to stop until I'm dead or until I do something! I'm going to have to fight back! If I strike him, like he challenged me to do, will he be satisfied? Will he stop fighting me? Or will this only make him angry and attack me further?_

Meanwhile, Vegeta had been a bit surprised when Bra had suddenly sprang back up onto her feet. He knew that he couldn't have subdued her so easily when he knocked her to the ground; she was far too strong to have been thwarted by a couple of landed blows. He acknowledged that she had been trained very well. But he deduced that she was very inexperienced in a true battle. When she had remained on the ground after his attack, the opportunity this had presented was just too tempting to pass up. He couldn't believe that she would just lie there on the ground, completely open to attack. So, attack her, he did. He had leaped into the air with the intention of delivering a blow that would have likely ended her life. He had been certain that she'd fail to detect the attack and would succumb to the skull-crushing blow.

But at the very last moment, the girl had seen the attack coming and had rolled out of the way. While this did surprise Vegeta – he had been certain that the fight would be over at that point – he found that he was pleased that it hadn't ended so quickly or easily for him. The girl was a mystery and a challenge. If nothing else, it was the rekindled fear in her eyes that he thrived upon as she realized that this battle was one of life or death. Vegeta drew in a deep breath, drinking in the sweet smell of her fear before resuming his attack.

Bra was a little bit better prepared for this new round of blows. Again, she put herself on the defense, but this time she very closely monitored Vegeta's energy output. She raised and lowered her power to match his. She continued to block or avoid most of his blows. But this time, when she allowed some of his attacks to get through her defenses, she kept her ki raised high enough that she wouldn't be knocked to the ground like she had before.

The major difference in this round of their battle was that _finally_ Bra was willing to press her own offense. She didn't push too hard, however. She eased her own attacks into the battle very slowly. A quick jab here and – after blocking several of his attacks – an attempted kick there. She didn't put too much power into her strikes either. She didn't want her father to suspect that she was capable of so much more. She wanted him to believe that she was trying her best to get around his offense and past his defenses, but that she was only barely managing to attempt a strike.

In addition, Bra had to abandon all the techniques her father had taught her. For one, there was no need for her to use the highly skilled and complicated fighting styles. All it would take to overpower this Vegeta was a single punch, if she truly tried. And two, she absolutely could not use techniques that were created by the man she was now squared off against. He'd know in an instant that something was up if she suddenly used his own attacks back on him.

Instead, the halfling relied upon the very few techniques she had learned from her sporadic spars with Pan. There was once, many years ago, that Pan had tried to teach Bra some of the fighting style she had learned from her own father and grandfather. But the moment Vegeta had caught wind of this, he had put an end to it. _"No child of mine will be trained to fight like that clown Kakarot!"_ he had declared.

As a result, Bra was unaccustomed to the fighting stances utilized by the Son family. Attempting to remember such techniques caused her attacks to be sloppy and uncoordinated. It almost pained her to fight so poorly when her father had ingrained into her to fight with precision. But borrowing Goku's techniques was the safest option she had at her disposal. This Vegeta in the past had not yet faced off against such a fighting style and he wouldn't recognize it or its source.

Vegeta grinned with malicious joy when it appeared that Bra had finally mustered up the courage to counter-attack. He was eager to see what she was capable of. After all, when he defeated her, what kind of defeat would it have been if she had refused to fight back? Her first strikes came few and far between, but that was okay with him. He wasn't making the fight easy for her, after all. Rarely did he give her a break between his own attacks. When she _did_ find a brief opening and attempt a blow, he was too quick and too strong for her to successfully deliver the strike.

The prince's arrogance soared. He was completely under the impression that he could dominate this girl at any moment. Sure, he was using a lot of his energy to fight her, but he wasn't going all out just yet. And while she had put up a hell of a strong defense earlier, it appeared as if she had finally plateaued. He now knew how much force he had to put into his attacks in order to defeat her and he also had a fairly good idea how strong her own attacks were, based upon the dozen or so failed strikes she had launched at him.

Confident that he could end the fight at any moment if he exerted himself just a little bit more, Vegeta decided he'd have some fun with the girl. He wanted to test the girl to see how observant she was during battle. He intentionally opened up a gap in his defense, curious to see if she'd spot it. At first, she didn't. At least, it didn't appear that she was aware of it. But he knew the moment she noticed the opening. Not because she immediately went for the opportunity, but because a look of confusion flashed across her face.

For Bra, the battle had started going fairly well. She had managed to find a power range that allowed her to keep pace with Vegeta but not overpower him and allow him to maintain the advantage. The only exception was that major detail – how to end the fight with Vegeta the victor and she still alive? As she was fixated on finding a solution to this problem, she suddenly noticed that her opponent's stance had shifted slightly. She realized that Vegeta had opened up a small gap in his defense.

Immediately, Bra went on alert, confused by his intentions. _Is he getting sloppy or is he doing that on purpose?_ she pondered. Raditz's warning echoed in her mind. _"Don't risk yourself by falling into his game!"_ Her suspicions escalated. _Is Daddy trying to trick me? Is he hoping that I'll go for his weakness and fall into a trap?_ Afraid that that was his intention, she refused to take the bait.

Vegeta was a bit disappointed that Bra hadn't seized upon the opportunity he had presented her. He had had a mean little counter-attack waiting for her. But at the same time, he was very impressed with her. _She is a clever little girl,_ he mused. He left the weakness in his defense open for her, however, to see if she would be eventually tempted by it. The prince pressed his attacks once again, launching a series of jabs, kicks, and hooks at the girl.

As part of her plan, Bra allowed more and more of Vegeta's strikes to hit their marks. One particular jab to her mouth left her with a swollen lip. While she worked to make the performance of her defeat a believable one, her focus never left the gap in her father's defenses. _Why is he leaving himself open like that? Does he want me to attack him _that_ badly?_ she wondered. The opportunity was taunting her, but she was still very skeptical.

With her scientist mind and keen eyes, Bra examined her father's stance for a sign that would tell his intentions. The task wasn't an easy one, with the fight in the forefront of her mind. But eventually, she noticed something quite peculiar. _Why is Daddy's tail wrapped so loosely around his waist?_ she asked herself before realizing, _That's his trap! If I go for the opening on his left, he has his tail ready and waiting for a counter-attack! But can he _really_ use his tail as a weapon? He never had one back home... So how can I know how – or even if – he'll use it?_

As Vegeta continued to barrage the girl with his assault, she came to theorize that perhaps the only way to end the fight was to use the opportunity he was offering to her advantage. _I might just be able to land a punch if I go for his left side,_ Bra plotted. _But I don't know what he'll do with his tail ready to spring like that... Could I hit him before he unleashes his tail? Probably. But _should _I? Or should I let him follow through with his trap before I hit him?_

Vegeta threw a right jab and then a left. Bra, focused on planning her own impending attack, blocked both strikes. The prince threw a left hook. The girl seized upon the opportunity. She ducked below the swing and threw a right punch at his left side, aiming for his rib cage. As soon as Vegeta saw the girl launch herself at the opening, a malicious grin formed on his face. With lightening fast speed, his tail whipped around his body and crashed into her face with a loud _'crack.' _

Bra went sailing across the battle field for a second time. No sooner did she land on the ground in a puff of debris did Vegeta pursue his prey. Again, he launched himself into the air. With his fist cocked, he pounced upon the fallen girl. This time, his fist connected. But as the dust settled, he found that she had blocked his attack. His punch was being held back by her arms, protectively crossed above her face. Vegeta's cold, black eyes met her determined, blue ones as the battle of strength played out. Bra's arms shook with exertion as her father pressed down upon her, unwilling to concede his assault.

Finally, the blunette muttered between gritted teeth, "You said you'd let me live... if I could hit you..."

Vegeta didn't fully understand at first. But when a chunk of his armor came loose and fell to the dirt, he realized what had happened. He immediately leaped back from the girl and examined his armor. Sure enough, a fist sized area of damage had been inflicted upon his armor. He hadn't even realized it had happened. He had been so enthralled by the fact that she had finally succumbed to the temptation to attack the provided weak spot that he hadn't felt the impact of her fist connecting with his ribcage. At first, he was stunned that she had managed to succeed. But slowly, his shock morphed into amusement and he let out a hearty laugh.

Cautiously, Bra stood back up. She dropped back into a defensive position and waited for Vegeta to make the next move. Her heart hoped that the fight was over. Her gut warned her otherwise. But as her father erupted into laughter, her mind knew that she had won. She may have thrown the fight to her opponent, but she had proved herself to him, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

**Story Notes:**  
More on power levels:  
In the anime, Raditz's power level is given at about 1200 upon his arrival on Earth. Since this chapter takes place about two years prior to his battle with Goku and Piccolo, I've adjusted it down some. As revealed in this chapter, I figured Raditz to be about 950.  
Concerning Vegeta's power level, two different, but canon, sources give Vegeta's ki reading as 15,000 and 18,000 at the time he was preparing to fight Goku for the first time on Earth. Like I did for Nappa, I have chosen to use the higher of the two numbers for Vegeta and used this as a base point to decide how strong he is during this chapter. Allowing for room for improvement over the course of the three years between this chapter and his arrival on Earth, I've decided to place Vegeta's power level at around 16,000.  
Bra's actual power has yet to be revealed, and may not ever be precisely given in this story. But, if you remember, there was a hint given in the last chapter that gives readers an idea how strong she is.

* * *

**Review Responses:**  
I don't usually do review responses, but I've gotten a lot of speculation about this story. While most questions will only be answered by reading future chapters of this story, there are a couple commonly asked questions that I will answer here.

_Will you make this a Vegeta/Bra lemon/incest?_  
Absolutely not. Incest is not my thing. And to go in that direction would discredit the tone and theme of this story.

_Will Bra and Raditz start mating?_  
Oh my... Some readers want me to jump the gun on this one, it seems. I don't think Bra and Raditz are anywhere near ready for this yet, especially not Bra.

_Can't Bra just use the dragonballs to...?_  
She _could_, but if she did, then there wouldn't be much a story. Let's not forget, that she has yet to even find a way of obtaining a set of dragonballs in order to do any wish-making.

_Can I use the term 'saiyashi' for my own stories?_  
Yes! I'm flattered that you like it so much that you wish to borrow the term from me.

While I can't respond to every review, I do want to thank everyone for all of their input and feedback. I'm glad that people are enjoying this story and I appreciate the critiques. I'm sometimes afraid of reading feedback because I fear that negative criticism may discourage my story-telling, but I've found that everyone has been very positive and some have been very helpful by bringing things to my attention that I might not have otherwise considered. This helps me greatly in my editing process (I typically will have the first draft of the next chapter written before I post a new chapter) and I have found that having such feedback is great for hammering out some of the finer details in each chapter. I don't use a beta, so you can see how useful these critiques are for me. So again, thank you all so much for taking the time to read and review.


	14. Lesson Fourteen

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Fourteen  
Make Sacrifices_

_ Often times in life, when one is seeking to accomplish or obtain something desirable, a sacrifice must be made. Usually this sacrifice comes in the form of time, money, or labor. It is usually an exchange of some sort, the performance of a task that might otherwise be undesirable in order to acquire one's goal. This concept became more and more ingrained into me as I entered my teenage years. _

_ Nearing my fourteenth birthday, I had been selected to be one of a lucky few to join the West City Cheerleading Squad, Teenager Division. My high school coach had been the one to give me the great news and I was super excited to have been nominated. Only the most talented cheerleaders were ever asked to be a member of one of these regional squads. And once a year, the squads from all eleven regions of the world competed against one another to determine which squad was that year's champion._

_ As soon as I got home, I shared the news with my family. Everyone was excited for me; I think even Trunks and Daddy were proud even though their reactions seemed minimal. But a small dilemma developed shortly thereafter._

_ "Bra," Momma interrupted the happy congratulations Grammy and Pappy were giving me. "This registration form says that the competition is to be held between Thursday, April 20__th__ and Saturday, April 22__nd__."_

_ I turned to look at Momma. "Yea, I know. That's only four months away. We'll have to learn the routine we'll be performing really quick. I wonder who else will be on the squad with me…"_

_ Trunks elaborated on Momma's point that I failed to realize. "Bra, that competition falls right in the middle of Texpo '92."_

_ My excitement was suddenly shattered. I realized that there was no way I would be able to participate in the competition. As a minor, I was required to have a chaperone attend the event with me. Momma, being the Capsule Corp. president, couldn't skip out on the annual Technological Exposition – or Texpo – to accompany me to the cheerleading competition._

_ "I'm sorry, Bra," Momma said. "I really wish I could have taken you. But you know how important Texpo is to Capsule Corp."_

_ I looked to Trunks, pleadingly._

_ "Sorry, Bra," he said. "You know I can't take you either. Mom just promoted me to vice president a few months ago and I'll be expected to be at Texpo. Especially since I'll be showcasing our prototype for our new line of luxury air vehicles."_

_ My hopes were dashed. I might have asked Grammy and Pappy to take me, but at ages seventy-nine and eighty-six, respectively, I felt that it was too much to ask them to be my chaperones. As for Daddy… I very much doubted that he would take me._

_ Momma thought otherwise._

_ "Vegeta, darling," she purred ever so sweetly as she set her predatory eyes upon Daddy._

_ "Not a chance," came Daddy's reply from behind his newspaper, long before Momma could get the question out of her mouth._

_ The saccharine tone disappeared from Momma's voice. "And why not? This is very important to your daughter."_

_ "And my training is very important to me."_

_ Momma gave him a wry look. "I'm sure you could afford to take a few days off."_

_ Daddy scoffed as he lowered his paper. "Hardly! Not with the way the brats have grown lazy with their own training!"_

_ Unfortunately, I saw where this was going._

_ "Especially Bra," Daddy noted. "And now she wants to participate in yet another endeavor that will no doubt pull her away from her training even further." To me, he asked, "When _was_ the last time I saw you in the gravity room?"_

_ I grumbled, "Daddy, that's not fair! You know I've been super busy lately! It's not my fault that I haven't had much time for training."_

_ "And yet you have time for this competition?"_

_ I stilled my protests, knowing that I couldn't argue against Daddy's point._

_ He continued, "If I must sacrifice my training time to take you to this event, then I expect that you'll take the extra effort and make a sacrifice of your own and start showing up in the gravity room more often."_

_ For a moment, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was Daddy actually agreeing to be my chaperone? Before I could agree with what he was saying or even question what he was implying, Daddy clarified for me._

_ "I want to see you training with me six times a week. Am I clear?"_

_ I _really_ couldn't believe it! Daddy _was_ agreeing to take me! But at the same time, I couldn't help but feel like he was asking too much. I understood that this was a large favor to ask of Daddy. But _six_ days a week for an indefinite time frame was a lot to ask in return._

_ "I can't commit to six days a week, Daddy! When am I supposed to find the time for that? Especially when I have to practice for the competition!"_

_ Daddy lifted his newspaper back into place. "If you don't wish to meet my end of the bargain then I guess this competition of yours must not be all that important to you."_

_ "C'mon, Daddy!" I whined. "How about three days a week? I can probably squeeze in that much."_

_ Without moving his paper, Daddy firmly repeated, "Six days."_

_ I tried again. "How about four days?"_

_ "Six."_

_ "Five days?"_

_ The paper lowered. Daddy looked thoughtful. "Alright. Five days each week should be sufficient. I will allow you time off from now until this competition. But as soon as it's over, your training with resume. Understood?"_

_ I nodded enthusiastically, excited that I'd be able to compete after all. "Yes, Daddy! Thank you so very much!" I said as I ran over to him and wrapped him in a big hug._

_ Looking back on this situation, I later realized that the sacrifice I made in order to attend the cheerleading competition was a rather small price to pay compared to the one Daddy paid in order to get me to follow a stricter training regimen. As it turned out, spending a weekend with over two hundred teenage girls and their families was very trying on Daddy's patience. Although he managed to make it through that weekend, he vowed he would never do it again._

_ I learned from this experience that a price must often be paid in order to get something in return. The more desirable the goal, the greater that sacrifice would be._

* * *

Date: Age 759, Third Galactic Quarter, Day 96 (Approx. 27 September 759)  
Location: Frieza Planet 53

Bra eased out of her battle stance with caution as she watched Prince Vegeta laugh at something he found privately amusing, something that had to do with the outcome of their skirmish. While it appeared that the battle was over, she wasn't entirely certain and remained on guard.

After inspecting the damage that the girl had wrought upon his armor, Vegeta couldn't prevent his outburst. Initially surprised that she had managed to get in a blow, he had come to find her to be quite amusing. _Despite knowing that I was setting her up for a trap, she went for the opening in my defense anyway. And she managed to strike me even though it came at the cost of a blow to her head,_ he mused while wrapping his tail back around his waist. _Fortunately, she was too weak to penetrate my armor. I like this girl's style. She's a risk-taker. She'll do what it takes to win, even when she has little chance of success._

"Congratulations," Vegeta said to Bra after his laughter settled down. "Even though you've damaged my armor, I've decided not to kill you. But a promise is a promise and I am an honorable man... when I choose to be."

Bra didn't quite like the sound of that, but she was glad that she had caught him in a good mood. She didn't want to know how her younger father would react if he had been in a foul disposition and decided to renege on his offer to spare her life.

A scowl formed on Vegeta's face as he turned towards Raditz, who was laying on the ground, paralyzed from the blow Nappa had delivered to his spine. "I now see why you recruited this girl, Raditz. She's much stronger and much more capable than you are. I imagine that she has been completing your missions for you, has she not? Is there a reason to keep you around if you aren't capable of fulfilling your assignments?"

Raditz grew alarmed. "No, Prince Vegeta! It's not true! I've been working very hard to finish my mission log!"

Nappa chuckled. "Yea, right! This is just like the way things were when Zuki and Fava were still around. You used to let them do all the work for you, too. And look where that got ya!"

If Bra didn't know any better, she'd swear that those names sounded saiyan. She sent a questioning probe towards her traveling companion, asking for clarification.

Telepathically, Raditz answered, _"Zuki and Fava were two other saiyans that used to be part of our squad. They were older than Prince Vegeta and myself, but younger than Nappa. Like me, they were born from a third-class family. While Prince Vegeta had Nappa to be his care-giver, I had no one. Zuki and Fava stepped in to raise and train me. They became like older brothers to me."_

_ "What happened to them?"_ Bra asked even though she had an idea what the answer would be.

Raditz sent one bitter word in return. _"Frieza."_

"I believe you're correct, Nappa," Vegeta replied. "Raditz's behavior is much like it was when he had Fava and Zuki to coddle him. Raditz, if you are incapable of completing your assignments, then I've no more use for you."

Bra panicked. She dashed forward and placed herself in front of her father in order to get his attention. "Wait! Raditz is telling the truth! He did all his missions on his own! I promise!"

Vegeta gave the girl a peculiar look. "If that's so, then tell me... Why _are_ you in his company then?"

Nappa muttered, "Well, _look_ at her, Vegeta. It's pretty obvious, isn't it? Raditz found himself a little fuck toy. Who wouldn't want a piece of that? If I were in Raditz's position, I'd have my way with her, too. Every single day."

"That's enough, Nappa!" Vegeta scolded. "You're starting to disgust me! This girl is still a child! If you were using your senses, you could clearly see that she's untouched, despite having Raditz's stink all over her."

The giant man was immediately cowed. "Sorry, Prince Vegeta."

But Vegeta _did_ take a moment to gauge Bra's appearance. Despite the aftermath of the battle – the layers of dirt caked on her skin and clothing, the bruises forming on her arms and face, and the little bit of blood that had trickled from her lip – he had to admit that she was a very pretty young female. He could see that when she grew into a woman, she would be strikingly beautiful. As she glared at Nappa – no doubt that she was deeply offended by his callous remarks – her eyes were filled with such a fierce look that Vegeta found his gaze drawn to them. Her cheeks were stained a deep pink, likely from her embarrassment at having been so easily labeled a virgin. But her blush gave her the appearance of childlike innocence. That was as far as her good looks went with Vegeta. He felt no sexual desire for her. It was as if his instincts told him that she was off-limits to him.

"So tell me," Vegeta prompted again, "why have you decided to accompany Raditz during his mission assignments, if not to assist him? If what you claim is the truth, then he isn't relying on you to complete his work for him. And since you're purity is intact, he clearly isn't keeping you at his side for his own sexual benefit. I can only presume that you must be traveling with him for your own personal gain. Tell me. Of what use is he to you?"

Bra knew that upon the outcome of her battle with her father that she would come under an investigation. What she hadn't expected was that the first question she'd be facing was one pertaining to her association with Raditz. She wasn't sure if she should answer the question or not. _How will Daddy react if I tell him why I'm traveling with Raditz?_ she fretted. _Will he act in my favor or against it? I have to tell him something, but I can't lie to him. Would I be better off avoiding the question altogether? _

Vegeta's patience was very short and thin. "Well?" he snarled.

The prince's temper prompted Bra's instincts to obey her father. Whether she wanted to or not, she had to come forward with the truth. She opened her mouth to speak, but Raditz beat her to the punch.

"Bulla is on a quest to avenge the deaths of her family and kinsmen," the long-haired saiyan supplied. "I offered to help her."

Nappa snickered. "What help could you be to her?" he sneered. "The little bitch is several times stronger than you are! If _she_ can't defeat her enemies, then what makes you think that _you_ can?"

Since Raditz had taken the decision away from Bra, she figured that she may as well verify the truth. "Raditz didn't tell me he'd help me fight my enemies," she corrected. "He promised that he'd help me find my way back home so that I _can _defeat them."

Vegeta quirked an eyebrow at this peculiar turn. "How could you not know how to return to your planet?" he inquired. "Your pod's travel history should have all the coordinates stored in its memory, including that of your home world."

The bluenette shook her head. "Raditz gave me my space pod shortly after we became acquainted. Obviously, it wouldn't have the location of my home planet in its travel log. And I tried searching for my world's coordinates in the pod's interstellar database. There was no information available. I think my planet might be beyond Frieza's empire."

Nappa scratched the top of his bald head. "I don't get it. If the pod can't tell you where to go, then what good can Raditz do that the computer can't?" he asked with heavy skepticism. "And come to think of it... How did you end up traveling through space if you didn't have a pod or ship when you left your planet?"

Bra glared at the mustachioed man. In an impatient tone, she answered, "To answer your last question first, the aliens that killed my family and friends teleported me to this dump of a planet in the middle of space. And to answer your first question, Raditz was gonna take me to a tech planet that might have the information I need. But he had to take care of some missions first. Although we've already made several stops, we've yet to arrive on a planet with the technology I need to search for my home world." To Raditz, she asked, "Speaking of which, how much longer until we get to one?"

Suddenly a little dismayed, Raditz said, "That is out of my hands now." Now that he was once again under Vegeta's direct supervision, he no longer had the freedom to make certain decisions, such as travel destinations.

Vegeta supplied a less cryptic answer. "You're several light-years away from the nearest tech planet, girl. It will take at least a full galactic quarter before you reach one."

Bra was alarmed. She had been under the impression that she'd be taken to one of these planets rather quickly. As a matter of fact, Raditz had said to her at the beginning that such a planet could be visited along the course of his mission log. She realized now, that he had neglected to tell her that that planet was much further away than he allowed her to believe. Her alarm shifted to anger as she wondered why Raditz would withhold that information from her.

Raditz sensed Bra's confusion, alarm, and then fury. He knew that he was responsible for her irritation. But what could he say to appease her? He hadn't intended to deceive her. The length of time it would take before he could deliver her to such a planet had been a bit of a miscalculation on his part. By the time he realized his error, he had already grown emotionally invested in the girl and he didn't want to cause her any additional duress. _Don't fool yourself,_ Raditz scolded himself. _You didn't tell her your mistake because you didn't want to fall out of her favor._

"Allow me to make an offer," Vegeta requested of Bra. "Join my squad. While I typically prefer to work only with my fellow saiyans, I think I can make an exception for you. I wouldn't mind a little extra muscle on my squad. Work for me, and I'll allow you to continue your search for your home world. Have we got a deal?"

Raditz couldn't believe what he was hearing. Vegeta had _never_ made such an offer before! It was an opportunity that was too good to pass up. Telepathically, he encouraged Bra to accept. _"Bulla, say 'yes!'"_

"No," Bra stated flatly, to Raditz's shock and dismay.

"How could you say 'no' to Prince Vegeta!?" demanded Nappa. "He's making a very generous offer, you ungrateful little bitch!"

"I want nothing to do with your planet purging business," Bra answered as her eyes snapped to the giant. "It's immoral and unethical. I won't be a part of it."

"That's quite a shame," Vegeta feigned lamentation. "But it's _no_ fur off _my_ tail. Good luck finding your way home on your own then, girl." He turned away from the teenager. "Nappa, collect Raditz. We're done here."

"Sure thing, Vegeta," the giant replied as he headed towards a distraught Raditz.

Again, Bra became alarmed. "Wait! Where are you going? You're not leaving me here, are you?"

Vegeta turned back towards the girl. "That's precisely what I'm doing. You think I would let you accompany us for free?" He chortled. "You'll learn soon enough, girl, that nothing in the universe comes without a price. If you wish to come with us, you'll have to earn your keep."

Bra hesitated. The thought of becoming a planet purger went against every fiber in her body. The thought of killing innocent people for the sake of stealing their homes from them made her sick. The idea of enslaving entire races of people was unfathomable. The notion of shouldering the responsibility of an entire species' fate was unthinkable. She wasn't a murderer. She wasn't a slave dealer. Those things weren't who she was and they weren't who she wanted to be.

On the other hand, if the girl refused the offer presented to her, what else could she do? She would be stranded on one of Frieza's military outposts with no idea how to get to this mysterious tech planet that everyone kept referencing, and yet refused to divulge any specific information about. She considered the possibility of finding someone else to escort her to where she needed to go.

_ I was very lucky that I stumbled into Raditz when I did,_ Bra noted. _I see now that he's been exceptionally generous, despite the fact that he didn't tell me that it'd be a long time before I could research Earth's coordinates. I doubt I'd find someone else who'd help me without wanting something in return. Not even my own father is willing to help me without a fee! _

The girl thought about her alternatives for a moment. _Perhaps I could hitch a ride with Ginyu and the guys? They seemed eager to have me in their company..._ Quickly, she dismissed it. _I have _no_ idea what bargain I'd have to strike with _them_. What if they want me to do something I'm not willing to do? They're much stronger than Daddy, Raditz, and Nappa. If it came to it, I could probably win in a fight against each member of the Ginyu Force, but if two or more attacked me at once? I doubt I could handle that. I'd probably be worse off if I went with them than if I stayed with Daddy and Raditz. And besides, Jeice is kind of a creeper. I can handle Nappa being an outright perv, but I don't think I can handle Jeice constantly trying to seduce me. _

"Well?" Vegeta asked impatiently, interrupting Bra's inner dialogue. "What will it be?"

Reluctantly, Bra answered. "Alright. I'll join you. But only until I find the coordinates for my home world. Then I'm gone." _And I don't plan on killing anyone,_ she added to herself.

Vegeta nodded. "Understandable. You're eager to defeat your enemies as quickly as possible. It seems that that's trait a trait we have in common."

A tiny grin pulled at the corner of Bra's mouth. _If only you knew how much more we have in common..._

* * *

Date: Age 759, Quarter 4, Day 12  
Location: Planet Desra

Bra tugged at the collar of her recently issued PTO uniform. The spandex material hugged her body very tightly, which wouldn't have been such an issue if the planet they were currently on wasn't so hot and arid. The two orange suns blazed down upon her; the black uniform she wore absorbed the rays of sunlight bearing down upon her. She glanced at her saiyan companions for the umpteenth time since landing on this world. She envied the fact that, as full-blooded saiyans, they were unaffected by the heat. The only consolation she had was knowing that if she had been fully human, she'd have suffered from heat stroke within minutes of landing on this world.

The blunette was equally grateful that she didn't have to wear the thick armor over the spandex suit. Initially, she was mortified that the form-fitting, skin-tight uniform left nothing to the imagination, making her feel almost naked. Had she been issued the armor to go with it, some of her features wouldn't have been so... obvious. Fortunately – or _un_fortunately, depending on the way one looked at it – there was an extreme shortage of armor designed for women due to the generally male populated work force of the Planet Trade Organization. At the time she had been fitted into her new uniform, there hadn't been any of the female-issue armor available.

Raditz couldn't help but notice Bra pull at the collar of her uniform yet again. "Is the heat bothering you?" He tried very hard not to glance down to appreciate how the black spandex enhanced her more alluring parts.

Bra was pulled from her thoughts and glanced at her suitor. "A little. But it's fine. What doesn't kill me will only make me stronger, right?"

Raditz considered the phrase she had used in her attempt to brush aside his concern, pondering the meaning a little more deeply than she had intended him to. "Your words have an interesting truth to them. Is it a proverb from your home world?"

Bra furrowed her brows as she thought on this. "Yea. Sort of…" There was a moment of silence before the girl change the subject. "How's your back? Is it giving you any problems?"

The long-haired saiyan felt a pool of warmth gather in his stomach after hearing the girl's concern for him. He assured her, "It's fine. Like the injury never happened. Rejuvenation pods can heal almost any injury. It's like you said... 'What doesn't kill me will make me stronger.'"

The blunette spared him a grin and the two became quiet once again. Bra, sitting on a large boulder, drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. A few yards away, the opening to a cool, dark cave beckoned to her invitingly. But she didn't give in to the temptation to seek shelter from the hot desert baking around her. She, Raditz, and Nappa had been given explicit instructions to wait outside while Vegeta entered the cave to parlay with the local citizens.

Raditz remained standing a few feet from Bra's side. Every few moments, he'd spare a glance in her direction. Now that he and Bra were traveling with Prince Vegeta and Nappa, he reigned in his efforts to court the girl. He didn't want his intentions to be so obvious to his superiors. Luck had already been on his side when Vegeta had offered the girl to join their squad. He didn't want to push his luck by revealing his desire to make Bra his mate lest Vegeta or Nappa decide to execute him – and possibly her too – because of the saiyan cultural taboo concerning inter-species mating. Raditz was extremely paranoid that his intentions were already known, or at least suspected, by his superiors. If they _were_ already aware, then it appeared that neither of them had yet to care. He didn't want to give them a reason to do so.

As much as Raditz was concerned for Bra's safety within the company of the other two saiyans, he found that he was also far more curious about her than he had been before her fight with the prince. Unbeknownst to anyone else, Raditz had quietly monitored her energy levels on his scouter. After Bra had destroyed Nappa's scouter, she had become far less reserved about the use of her power. To his astonishment, her ki had peaked at around 12,000. It was far less than Vegeta's maximum output of 16,000, but for the most part, she had kept up with the prince's pace during their battle. She was fortunate that Vegeta hadn't been using all of his strength for their fight.

Despite this, Raditz was awed by how strong Bra had unintentionally revealed herself to be. He had no doubt that she could handle Nappa should he make future attempts to attack her. Unfortunately, the bald-headed man was clueless when it came to Bra's strength. The girl had destroyed the giant's scouter after he had gotten an energy reading of 5,600 from her – a mere 200 points below his own. Raditz figured that Nappa was under the assumption that he had an advantage over her, albeit a small one. But that small margin wouldn't deter the giant. And Raditz _knew_ that Nappa was underhanded from time to time. The long-haired saiyan had a lingering suspicion that his bald-headed counterpart would eventually devise a way to get even with the girl who had so easily humiliated him.

It was Prince Vegeta that Raditz truly feared. For now, the long-haired man knew that Bra was safe from the prince. But it was a matter of how long she would remain in this net of safety. Vegeta had shown some respect and some curiosity towards the girl during the aftermath of their fight. But since then, he had shown her nothing but indifference. She was only valuable to the prince as extra muscle when it was needed. The remainder of the time, she was an added responsibility on the prince's shoulders. Raditz could only speculate how long it would take before the prince's indifference of her was outweighed by his intolerance of her.

And that budding intolerance was yet another concern Raditz had. Bra seemed to have a strong fascination with Prince Vegeta. The long-haired man frequently caught the girl stealing glances at the other man. Once in a great while, she would attempt conversation with the prince. Almost always, she was bluntly denied. But that didn't seem to dissuade her from trying again. The unusual amount of attention that the blue-haired girl had for the prince made Raditz's blood boil with jealousy. The only solace he had was that Vegeta seemed completely uninterested in her – aside from the added muscle she could supply. If anything, it seemed that the girl's pursuance only served to irritate the prince. And _that_ was what truly worried Raditz.

Whether it was Nappa or Vegeta who made a move against Bra first, Raditz could not guess. And when that time came, he knew that he'd be powerless to avert Bra's fate. She was several times stronger than he was. If she couldn't protect herself, there was no hope that he could.

Meanwhile, Nappa was pacing back and forth at the mouth of the cave. Boredom was getting the better of him. He had been hoping for some action. A good fight was what he needed to recover from his recent and embarrassing defeat at Bra's hands. However, their mission here was not to purge. On the contrary, they had been sent here to try to recruit the native daubeni. Lord Frieza was interested in acquiring certain abilities that these simian-like creatures possessed. That was why Prince Vegeta had gone ahead into the subterranean caverns that made up the daubeni city – to recruit them. The saiyans had been instructed that only if the natives refused assimilation into Frieza's army were they to use lethal force. Nappa was hoping for the latter.

The longer Prince Vegeta remained below ground, the more unlikely it seemed to Nappa that the daubeni were going to refuse Lord Frieza's offer. This only frustrated the giant further. If his tail hadn't been wrapped securely around his waist, it'd likely be furiously lashing back and forth to emphasize his impatience. As Nappa turned to retrace the path he had paced dozens of times over the past hour, he couldn't help but catch a glimpse of the blue-haired girl in the corner of his eye.

With Bra suddenly at the forefront of Nappa's attention, he couldn't help himself from looking directly at her. He watched as she fidgeted with the scouter she had been issued as part of the uniform she had been given to wear, casually passing the device back and forth between her hands. But Nappa's attention wasn't only drawn to the scouter in Bra's hands. He couldn't help but notice, yet again, that the girl was practically out of uniform. Lacking the hard-shelled outer armor, her figure was far too revealing.

_ Blue-balling little bitch,_ the bald man cursed. Apparently, his thoughts were a little too loud as he noticed Raditz react to them. The long-haired saiyan's attention snapped from the blunette to the giant. An uncertain, but protective, expression filled the younger man's gaze. Nappa smirked devilishly as he slowly and carefully reinforced his mental barrier. _It seems Raditz is smitten with the little vixen. His desire for the girl is too obvious. What a shame it would be if something were to happen to her..._

Nappa's thoughts followed a path that led to imagining Bra's untimely and unfortunate demise, but being unable to act upon those thoughts lest he succumb to Prince Vegeta's wrath, he decided instead to instigate the girl. Doing so would, at the very least, help to pass the time while allowing him to release some pent up frustration. That malicious grin graced the mustachioed man's lips once again as he ceased his pacing to approach the girl.

"Oi, bitch," the bald man drawled, grabbing the attentions of the teenager and her would be suitor.

Raditz tensed as if preparing to protect the girl. Bra's eyes darted up at Nappa and glared spitefully at him.

"You _know _that's not my name, _baldy_," snapped Bra.

"What do you want, Nappa?" Raditz demanded

Nappa ignored Raditz and addressed Bra. "You weren't give a scouter to use as a play thing, wench. Put that thing back on your face or I'll smash it so hard into the side of your head that you'll be picking pieces of it out of your skull for a fortnight!"

Raditz stepped aggressively between Nappa and Bra. "You touch _one_ hair on her head and I'll—"

"You'll _what_?" Nappa interrupted. "Protect her like you did back on Frieza Planet 53? How did that turn out for you again? Oh yes, I remember! I recall snapping your spine in half!"

Raditz growled in frustration. His tail unwound from his waist and snapped violently back and forth. He knew that Nappa was right. What _could_ he do to protect Bra if it came to it? Yet, he couldn't subdue the instinctual urge to protect her whenever danger – perceived or real – presented itself. He couldn't stop the dark thought that crossed his mind, that the blue-haired girl just might one day be the death of him.

To Raditz's surprise, Bra rose to her feet and stepped forward to stand by his side. Not behind him as an inferior, needing his protection. Not in front of him as his superior, sheltering him under her own protection. But at his side, as an equal. It was yet another small act on her part that left him feeling in awe of her. To stand side-by-side, as equals, as a unified front against an adversary, was one of only a few ways two saiyans signified themselves to others as a matched pair. Whether or not she understood the implications of her actions, whether or not she realized she had made such a statement, he wasn't sure. But the message was not lost on Nappa, who stared at the girl with a curious look.

Raditz felt his heart pound in his chest. By standing at his side, the girl had practically declared herself as his intended mate. While Raditz felt a surge of euphoria, he was just as fearful by such a declaration. He held his breath while he waited to see what the next action would be. Having spent enough time with Bra over the past several months, it was almost predictable that she would be the one to make the next move. And what she said next completely destroyed the elation Raditz had been feeling.

To Nappa, the girl threatened, "You touch _one_ hair on my head, and it'll be _your_ head when Prince Vegeta finds out! _He_ made me part of this squad! So if you do anything to me, you'll have to answer to him!"

As soon as Bra mentioned Vegeta's name, Raditz was crushed. And insanely jealous. The girl's obsession with the prince ran deeper than he originally suspected. _Of course Bulla would seek to rely upon Prince Vegeta's protection,_ he groused. _The prince is far stronger and superior to myself. He is royalty! What am _I _compared to him? A lowly third-class servant is what I am, and nothing more. I see now why she rejected me on Planet Opula after learning of our impending rendezvous with the prince. Why would she choose me when she could pursue Prince Vegeta?_ As these thoughts ran through Raditz's mind, he quickly dismissed the perception of the unified front Bra had created a moment ago by standing at his side, chalking it up to an obvious misunderstanding on his part.

What Raditz had no way of knowing, thanks to Bra's carefully crafted mental barriers, was that the idea of Vegeta as a potential mate was a thought that would never cross her mind. Yes, she had been overtly curious about the prince. Yes, she had been paying him more attention than the other two saiyans. Yes, she tried way too hard to interact with him. But this was all because, known only to her, Vegeta would one day become her father. And she was finding it easy to forget from time to time that this man was not yet the man he would grow into, only to have reality rear its ugly head when the prince's tolerance of her inquisitive nature was pushed beyond its limits and she found herself on the receiving end of a harsh rebuke.

With Bra's threat lingering in the air, Nappa gritted his teeth as he reigned in his taunting of the girl. Still, he demanded the last word in their little spat and growled, "Just put the damn scouter back on. If Prince Vegeta needs to get in contact with you, how are you supposed to hear him if you aren't wearing it?"

With that said, Nappa stomped away to resume his pacing, angrier and more frustrated than he had been before. Bra watched him march towards the cave before retreating to her boulder once again. Like a petulant child, she pulled her legs back up to her chest again and dropped her chin on her knees, looking to the world as if she were sulking. Stubbornly, she refused to put the scouter on, if only because she refused to be told what to do by a brute such as Nappa. Instead, she twirled the device in her hands in the same manner as she had before she had been disturbed.

Raditz eventually joined Bra's side, still feeling pangs of jealousy and rejection. Still, he yearned for the girl's attention. Wishing to make conversation with her and in an attempt to soothe her agitation, he quietly said to her, "I hate to admit this, but for once, Nappa is right. You should be wearing the scouter just in case one of us needs to get in contact with you."

Bra's hands stilled. But she didn't answer her companion.

Afraid that he had only agitated the girl further, Raditz tried another approach. "I know that they aren't the most comfortable things to wear. But I promise that you'll get used to it. It takes some time getting used to seeing half the world in a green or pink tint. But give it time, and you'll not even notice the color shift."

This time, Bra mumbled a response, but it was too quiet for Raditz's saiyan ears to hear.

"What was that?" he asked.

The blunette lifted her head and said more clearly, "Chromatic adaptation."

Raditz cocked his head and gave her a puzzled look.

"What you described about getting accustomed to the lens tint. It's kind of like chromatic adaptation. It's when your brain wants to perceive a light source as pure white. But no light source is really one hundred percent white. Your brain only thinks it is because your eyes adjust to the light source. So like, if the source is reddish, your eyes become desensitized to red and more sensitive to the opposite color, cyan.

"I think that's kinda what your describing with the scouter lens. The eye that looks through the scouter desensitizes itself to the color of the lens until you don't even notice the color tint anymore. Of course, the color of the lenses are too far shifted to one color or another for the eyes behind them to become completely desensitized to them. You still see the color of the lens. But I bet that whenever you take off your scouter, you're suddenly very aware that it's gone because suddenly everything looks like it's shifted colors. For you, because your scouter lens is green, everything looks a little pinkish for a while after you take it off. Am I right?"

Raditz nodded, again astounded by the wealth of knowledge stored inside the teenager's head. He had indeed noticed such a phenomenon on the rare occasions he removed his scouter. But he had never really given much thought to the reason behind such occurrences. That the girl knew the scientific explanation behind this observation impressed him.

Bra steered the conversation back towards her companion's original concern. "Wearing the scouter doesn't bother me so much. I just don't really feel like wearing it right now. Besides, it's not like I'm all by myself right now. You and Nappa are right here with me. If something were to happen to Prince Vegeta, I'm sure one of you would say something. When I need to, I'll put it back on."

Raditz opened his mouth to insist to Bra that she shouldn't be so lackadaisical about the scouter when a set of faint voices echoing from deep within the cave suddenly became audible. The trio turned their attentions towards the mouth of the cave. Raditz and Bra joined Nappa at the opening. Moments later, Vegeta's form could be seen deep inside the dark cavern. In addition, three shorter figures could be deciphered, accompanying the prince as he made his way towards the entrance.

Vegeta and his three escorts came to a stop several feet inside the cave where the prince exchanged some words with them. Bra listened intently, but found that she didn't understand the language and realized that her father was speaking to the daubeni in their native language. Frustrated, she turned to Raditz for clarification.

"What are they talking about? I can't understand them."

Before Raditz could answer, Nappa interrupted. "If you had been wearing your scouter, then maybe you'd know."

Bra ignored the giant's nasty tone and looked down at the device in her hand. "It can translate for me?"

A knowing smirk slid across Nappa's lips. "Why don't you put it on and find out."

Intrigued, Bra quickly snapped the scouter onto her head. She panned through the menu, found the language settings, and scanned the various available languages.

"What's their language called?" she asked as she flipped through the options.

"Beno'i," Raditz supplied. He opened his mouth to give the girl a warning, but she was too fast for him.

Bra immediately found the file titled _beno'i_ and selected it. What she expected was to see lines of text appear on the pink lens, scrawling across its surface as it recorded and then translated the conversation her father was having with the three daubeni. What actually happened was that she experienced a horrifically sharp pain inside her head as a high-pitch noise pierced her ear.

Bra winced and yanked the scouter away from her head as quickly as possible. "What the shit!?" she yelled.

Vegeta and the trio of daubeni diplomats looked up at Bra as her outburst echoed off of the cave walls. The prince glared at the girl for her interruption while the natives tutted disapprovingly. They immediately returned to their conversation.

The blue-haired girl rubbed her ear and glared at Nappa. "What the hell was that?" she demanded. "What kind of stunt are you trying to pull?"

The giant gave her a smug look and answered her, using the daubeni language. "What stunt? You can speak beno'i now, can't you?"

Bra gave Nappa a stunned look as she realized that not only could she understand him, but she, too, had been using the language ever since the awful pain ripped through her head. Slipping back into galactic standard, she stuttered, "Wait- But how? When did-?"

Raditz supplied the answer. "The scouter has a databank of thousands of languages. When one is selected, the scouter downloads the chosen language file directly into the language center of the user's brain. _That_ was the sharp pain you felt. I tried to warn you, but..."

"Amazing," the teenager replied. "But you'd think that they'd make it a lot less painful."

"Well, what did you expect?" Nappa sneered. "You think that learning an entire language in an instant would be painless?"

Bra supposed not. But she wondered, was the pain suffered each time a language was downloaded into one's brain worth the payoff? _Perhaps, if only one or two languages were learned this way, it'd be okay,_ she concluded. _But I can't imagine doing this each and every time I went to a new world._ She looked from Raditz to Nappa to her father. _Do they do this every time they go to a different planet? That's gotta suck!_

From the shadows of the cave, Bra could hear one of the daubeni diplomats speak to Vegeta. "After we have convened with the chancellors of the other two cities, we will speak with you again and let you know of our decision."

Another said, "We should have our answer by tomorrow evening when the twin suns have reached the horizon."

"We will meet with you again here at that time," finished the third.

Vegeta bowed his head respectfully. "I look forward to that meeting. Lord Frieza is eager to add your talents to his growing enterprise."

After the formalities were said, Vegeta trekked the remaining distance out of the cave and into the hot, open air. Bra's eyes never left his figure. Growing up, she was vaguely aware of her father's occupation prior to his settling down on Earth. Since Vegeta carefully guarded the secrets of his pre-Earth days, Bra had only her imagination to paint a picture of his life during his early years.

To see her father in action, so to speak, was a very surreal experience. Bra couldn't help but note how regal and polite he had been to the natives. She would have thought that he would be blunt and straightforward in his dealings, like he was in her era. The girl found herself admiring her father for new reasons, perceiving him in ways that were vastly different than those she had grown used to now that she had the opportunity to see him in situations she never before would have experienced.

Her moment of awe, however, came crashing down around her over the course of the next few moments.

As Vegeta approached and the daubeni retreated back to the depths of their subterranean community, Nappa asked, "So what's the plan, Vegeta?"

The prince took a moment to observe the position of the suns in the sky. "Dusk will be upon us within the hour. The daubeni are experienced warriors and have adapted very well to survival in the darkest environments." He paused. "We will wait until dawn."

Bra was confused. "'...until dawn...' for what?" she asked.

Vegeta gave her a look as if to say that his intentions were obvious and shouldn't have been lost upon the girl. Still, he answered, "Dawn is when we will attack, when the daubeni are most vulnerable. They are hypersensitive to light sources and are practically blind in full daylight. That is why we will wait until tomorrow morning before we strike. I have had plenty of time to observe the structures of their underground city. Their other cities are likely very similar. We will uproot them from the safety of their cities and force them out into the deserts where Nappa, Raditz, and myself are best acclimated. They will have no choice but to surrender to us."

Bra was taken completely aback. This was a complete contrast to her father's behavior only moments ago. She couldn't help but protest.

"But I thought you were going to meet with them again tomorrow night!? Isn't the diplomatic thing to wait and see what their answer will be?"

Vegeta gave Bra and impatient look. "They've already made their decision. They're going to refuse Frieza's offer."

"How can you be so sure?" the teen insisted.

The prince elaborated, "The daubeni may not have said so directly, but it is very clear to me that our presence here is unwanted. They are under the impression that they are impervious to Frieza's influence and aren't afraid to reject him."

"But... they said they had to meet with the other city leaders first! How can they already come to a decision? What if they other cities want to sign an agreement?"

Nappa interrupted. "Stop arguing, wench! Prince Vegeta gave an order and you will obey it!"

Bra scowled at the bald man. "It's underhanded, is what this is."

Vegeta ignored the banter between his general and the girl. "Get some rest. All of you. I will take first watch. My plan still stands. We will attack as soon as the first sun breaches the horizon."

* * *

At first, Bra found it hard to fall asleep. Her thoughts were plagued by the memories of her time spent on Planet 4DR14 and the annihilation of the matopoids. She felt sick knowing that the daubeni might soon share the same fate. Slaughter or enslavement. That seemed to be the growing theme when it came to Lord Frieza. Bra didn't know what to do to stop it.

More importantly, the girl found it hard to believe that her father was involved in these business dealings. She was mortified that her father would be responsible for the horrific crimes that were about to be committed against an innocent people. She couldn't come to terms with the idea that her father, a man that she looked up to and held unyielding respect and admiration for, would commit such a heinous act. Bra couldn't sit back and let him do something so monstrous. And yet, she couldn't disobey him either, as it was too far ingrained into her to comply with his demands. She curled up in a ball on the seat of her space pod, seeking what little comfort it could offer. Plagued by her conflicting thoughts, a few tears slipped down her cheeks.

* * *

Somehow, sleep eventually found Bra. She didn't know when she had nodded off, but the next thing she knew, she was gently being shaken by her shoulder as someone tried to rouse her.

"Bulla. Bulla, wake up."

"Hnnn?" the girl mumbled, half asleep.

"Bulla, it's your turn for watch," Raditz spoke softly.

Bra slowly sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She was still terribly exhausted and for a moment, she had no recollection of where she was. She cracked her eyes open and found that she could barely see Raditz's form leaning into the portal of her space pod; the dim interior light was barely enough to distinguish his facial features. Behind the long-haired man, the endless and inky black night stretched on forever across the desert night. As the blunette's mind became more alert, the most recent events came back to her mind and she remembered that she was on Planet Desra.

"What time is it?" the girl asked before a huge yawn overcame her.

"One decimark after middle night."

Bra best understood that to mean something sort of like saying that it was one in the morning, except that under the galactic time table, middle night was not the same as midnight and a decimark was not quite the same as an hour. Middle night was the point in time that fell exactly at the middle of night, between sunset and sunrise. And a decimark was actually closer to two hours of Earth time. _Which means that if this was Earth, it'd be about three in the morning. And the dawn of the first sun is about four hours away,_ she calculated. _Raditz was supposed to wake me an hour ago,_ she realized. _Why didn't he wake me when he was supposed to?_

"Have you had enough rest?" Raditz inquired, concern etched in his voice. "I can continue my watch a little longer if you need more sleep…"

"No, it's alright," Bra answered. "You've already been on watch longer than you should have been."

The girl climbed out of her seat and Raditz stepped back so she could exit her pod. Once she was out of her pod, she activated the flashlight function on her smart-watch so she didn't feel like she was so blind. There were no moons on this world to light the night, and the few stars were barely enough to distinguish land from sky. The small cocoon of light that her smart-watch provided helped some, but beyond a five foot radius, all was black.

Bra tried to stifle another yawn, but failed.

"You're exhausted," the larger saiyan observed. "I'll stay up with you until you've had time to fully wake."

Bra spared him a smile but felt guilty. "You don't have to do that. If you're tired, you should get some sleep. I'll be okay. As long as I stay on my feet, I'll be fine."

"You're certain? It's no trouble…"

The teen nodded. "I'm sure. Thank you, though, for the offer. I appreciate it, but you shouldn't overexert yourself. Big day tomorrow, y'know?"

Reluctantly, Raditz conceded. "Very well. But if you should need anything, don't hesitate to wake me."

Bra gave him a smile that was much warmer than her earlier one had been. It made Raditz feel elated to see it. The long-haired man returned the smile before turning towards the small, makeshift camp that the quartet had established.

Earlier that evening, after they had retreated from the cave that served as an entrance to one of the three daubeni cities, the saiyans had returned to their pods. They piloted the crafts out of the craters that had been created upon their arrival on this planet and arranged them into a large circle not too far from their original landing site. This placed them far into the depths of the desert, far away from all three daubeni cities, placing them out of harm's way once they began their attack the next morning. Within the circle created by their pods, the saiyans established their camp for the night.

The blue-haired girl watched as Raditz climbed into his pod and settled down for sleep. She felt his ki quickly settle down to a low hum as sleep overcame him. She felt guilty, surmising that the long-haired man must have been exhausted for him to have succumbed to sleep so easily.

Forty feet away, and furthest from Bra's pod, was the prince's ship. The door was sealed shut, making it clear that he was not to be disturbed. Bra grimaced as she stared at the craft's cold exterior as if it represented her father's standoffish attitude. She flexed her ki sense a little further, sensing her father's energy. His ki was not as low as Raditz's, but it was steady and at rest. The prince was sleeping, just not as deeply. She was certain that he would be instantly alerted by even the smallest disturbance.

To Bra's right, roughly twenty-five feet away, was Nappa's pod. The bald man had chosen to forego the marginal comfort that the pod's interior offered and was laying on the ground in front of his ship. Apparently Nappa's large size made him feel cramped inside the craft and he felt more comfortable stretched out on the hard, desert ground than he did sitting upright in the tough, padded seat of the pod. Bra spared the mustachioed man a long glance as he loudly snored away. She didn't even need to feel his ki to know that he was so sound asleep that he was oblivious to the world around him.

The teen eventually turned away from their dark camp. She set out to patrol the outskirts of the circle of space pods as she had nothing better to do and the walk would help to wake her mind. She moved slowly and carefully since her smart-watch offered only the smallest amount of light and there were many large rocks and boulders scattered throughout the terrain that were hard to see. A couple of times, her foot encountered one of these rocks, but never did she trip over one. As she patrolled the perimeter, she noted that the air was much cooler than it had been during daytime hours, but it wasn't uncomfortably cold. The dark colored soil had absorbed much of the twin suns' heat during the day. Now that warmth was slowly being released and it kept her warm.

As Bra slowly circled the camp, her thoughts naturally returned to the conundrum of what to do about the attack at dawn. _What should I do? I can't go through with this. I can't participate in the attack. But Daddy expects me to. I can't believe that he's doing this. I wish he'd just wait until the daubeni give us an official answer… But what if Daddy's right? What if the daubeni have already decided to turn down Frieza's contract? Daddy won't leave with 'no' for an answer. He _can't_. He'll carry out the attack as planned if they say 'no.' It's like Raditz said before… They have their orders and they have to obey them; they don't have a choice._ She sighed. _I just wish things didn't have to be like this…_

The girl circled back around and entered the camp, surveying the inner circle for any signs of disturbance. Other than Nappa having shifted in his sleep, there were no visible changes. Bra quietly slipped passed the sleeping giant. With him so deeply asleep as he was, she wasn't worried about accidentally waking him, but it didn't hurt to be cautious anyway. The last thing she wanted was to wake the one person who infuriated her the most. She watched the brute sleep for a moment. _I can't believe he can sleep so easily,_ she scoffed, _knowing that he'll be killing innocent people in a few hours. It wouldn't surprise me if the thought actually lulled him to sleep._

As these thoughts passed through Bra's mind, her attention was suddenly drawn to a device lying on the ground next to Nappa. Curious, the girl inched closer to the giant, careful not to wake him. As soon as she was close enough, she retrieved the peculiar device and retreated from Nappa's prone form.

After examining the long, metallic object for a moment, Bra found a release mechanism that allowed the device to separate into two equal parts, split down its length. When these two pieces were pulled apart, a holoscreen formed between them. The screen gave off a soft blue glow. On its surface, several paragraphs of writing in galactic standard appeared. Bra began to read its contents and was surprised by what she found.

_This is… I can't believe it! It's the contract that was drawn up for the daubeni to sign! _she realized._ But why would Nappa have it? _She immediately discarded that question. _Who cares _why_ he had it. What matters is that _I_ have it now. And with it, I might be able to convince the daubeni to accept Frieza's offer. But first, let's see what this contract entails…_

It didn't take long for Bra to read the document in its entirety. When she finished, she thought, _If the daubeni choose to sign this, the terms aren't really all that bad. Surprisingly reasonable, actually. Reasonable, even if they aren't very favorable from the daubeni perspective. But given the alternative…_ Bra's thoughts trailed off. In addition to the contract, there was a set of mission instructions provided should the daubeni refuse to sign. It was _this_ horrific outcome that Bra hoped to avoid. _If the daubeni were aware of the orders that Freiza expects to be carried out, they wouldn't refuse this contract. I have to warn them somehow…_

The halfling reached out with her ki sense and again observed the energy levels of her three male companions. What instead came to her attention was the presence of a half dozen energy sources originating from an easterly direction, about half a mile away. She panicked for a moment, realizing that she and her saiyan companions were no longer alone in the desert. But as she assessed these ki sources, she found that they weren't terribly strong. They were perhaps about half of Raditz's strength, which, in large numbers, would be enough to overtake the saiyans. But six of them wasn't enough to pose a threat. Nor were they advancing on their camp. She realized that the daubeni she was sensing had posted themselves at a safe distance where they could monitor their camp. The girl suddenly felt like she was being watched like a hawk. It was unsettling.

_But this works out well for me, I think,_ Bra rationalized in an attempt to settle her sudden anxiety. _This makes it much easier for me to find them._

Ignoring the daubeni energy sources, the teenager scanned the ki of each of her saiyan comrades. She found that all of their signatures were low and steady. Nappa was at the deepest level of sleep and she wasn't concerned about him waking up any time soon. Raditz and Vegeta, however, weren't quite so far gone – Raditz having only recently nodded off and Vegeta having trained himself to be semi-alert even in his sleep.

While Bra was a little nervous about Raditz or her father waking up to find her sneaking off, she had already made the decision to meet with the daubeni and, hopefully, avert their fate. She knew that since none of the saiyans had learned the ability to sense ki, she could only hope that her absence wouldn't be noticed, at least not immediately. But she was plagued by the guilt of knowing that she was shirking her responsibility to stand watch over her comrades while they slept. If she left with no one to stand guard, would she be leaving them vulnerable to attack? She hoped not. She had to have faith that her companions would be safe during her absence. She just couldn't pass up the opportunity that had been presented to her. She _had_ to do something to save the daubeni.

Bra snapped the holoscreen closed. Wanting no distractions, she removed her scouter from her face and tossed the device into her space pod. With her nerves feeling jittery, she took a single deep breath to settle them. And then she made her decision final by stepping out from the midst of the camp. In a nearly straight line, with only the dim light of her smart-watch to guide her, she headed towards the group of daubeni scouts. Not long after she began trekking across the cool desert, she could sense that this cluster of scouts had begun to move towards her. They fanned out, splitting into three groups of two. One pair continued to head straight towards her while the other two groups positioned themselves to flank her.

At long last, the scouts finally came within the dim circle of light shining from the demi-saiyan's smart-watch. She noted that the daubeni couldn't look directly at the small light on her watch, so she turned down the brightness a bit. But it was still enough for her to see some of their features. The daubeni were a simian-like people, with bodies covered in long, but thin hair and limbs that were proportionally longer than those of humans or saiyans. The daubani were somewhat short, averaging a few inches shorter than Bra. The most remarkable, yet eerie, feature about these creatures were their large, gold eyes and elongated ears.

These unusual features and their reaction to her smart-watch reminded Bra of what her father had said earlier in the day. _"The daubeni…have adapted very well to survival in the darkest environments." _An excerpt from Frieza's contract came to her mind as well. _"The Planet Trade Organization recognizes the daubeni for their battle prowess and their combat skills in nocturnal and nocturnal-like environments. We, of the Planet Trade Organization, find these abilities to be a valuable asset."_

Bra eyed the daubeni. They didn't exactly appear aggressive – they weren't holding any weapons at Bra, nor were any of them standing in fighting positions. However, the girl couldn't help but to feel like her presence was unexpected and unwanted. She quickly worked to mitigate their distrust.

"Greetings," the blunette said cheerfully in beno'i. Feeling awkward and uncertain what else to say, she stuttered, "I come… in peace." She mentally berated herself for _that_ cheesy salutation. _Way to go, Bra. What other clever little expressions do you have stored away in that head of yours? How about 'take me to your leader'?_

One of the scouts stepped forward. "Our chancellors have not yet finished their discussion on the proposal your representative Vegeta presented. Return to your vessels and one of us shall summon you when a decision has been made."

"That's what I've come to talk to you about," Bra replied. "I know that my fa— my squad leader told your chancellor the details of this contract. But did he tell your chancellor what would happen if the treaty isn't signed?"

The daubeni scout was quiet, thoughtful. A look of doubt and uncertainty crossed his features.

"Please let me speak with your city's chancellor. I don't believe that my squad leader divulged the full details during their meeting. I feel that it's only right that you all fully understand the situation before making a decision based on incomplete information."

The daubeni talked amongst themselves in hushed voices, so quiet that not even Bra could make out what they were saying. _Their hearing abilities are amazing,_ she marveled. _It's superior to saiyan hearing!_

After the scouts' brief discussion, the lead scout spoke to Bra once again. "We will take you to see our chancellor. But don't attempt any trickery. You minions of Frieza are untrustworthy. We will not be deceived by you."

Bra held up her hands to placate him. "I promise I'm not here to deceive you. I just want to help you."

The scout sternly nodded, satisfied. "This way." He turned and began to lead the way through the dark.

Bra stepped forward to follow him. She was tightly surrounded on both sides by four of the six scouts. The other two remained behind to continue their watch over the saiyan camp. This unsettled Bra a little bit, knowing that she was leaving her companions in a very vulnerable situation. But she had made her decision and she had to stay committed to it.

Still unable to see much around her, Bra trusted the daubeni to escort her safely to their city. In the dark, it was a long journey made to feel even longer without the ability to see well. The girl was amazed that the daubeni could traverse the desert in such total darkness without a single incident. Eventually, the scouts guided her to the cave opening that served as the entrance to their underground city.

* * *

"What have you done to her!?"

Nappa was jarred awake by Raditz lifting the larger man up to his feet and slamming his back into his space pod. Startled and reacting on instinct alone, Nappa shoved Raditz back roughly. Raditz stumbled back a few steps, but didn't fall to the ground. He didn't retaliate against the giant either, knowing that it would be foolish to do so. But his irritation was plainly visible. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as his tail lashed around behind him.

"What the hell are you talking about?" the Nappa demanded.

"Where's Bulla!? What have you done with her!?" the younger man repeated.

Nappa growled. "I ain't seen the wench since we set camp."

"You lie!" Raditz snarled. "You had the perfect opportunity to harm Bulla when she woke you for your turn to stand watch!"

"The bitch never woke me!" Nappa snapped back. "Do you think I'd have been sleeping if she had woke me like she was supposed to? And if I _had _done something to her, I would have made sure to stay awake to see your reaction when you discovered she was gone!"

Raditz paled when he heard Nappa's dark logic. Even though the older saiyan had a solid argument, his words did little to ease Raditz's mind. He had feared that Nappa would plot his revenge against the girl and when he woke to find Bra missing, he had immediately assumed that Nappa's plotting had come to fruition. As the long-haired man came to conclude that the bald man was blame-free in this incident, he refused to let go of the notion that revenge was still in the works. That is, if Bra was truly unharmed.

"What the fuck is going on?" Vegeta's bellow resounded from his space pod as the door opened.

Raditz was immediately fearful of Vegeta's reaction should he come to find out that Bra was missing. Unfortunately, Nappa dutifully informed the prince of the latest predicament.

"The wench has gone missing. Probably ran off somewhere. Loverboy here has his tail all in a knot over the thought that his little fuck toy has probably found herself a new dick to wet."

Raditz was furious. How _dare_ Nappa speak of Bra in such a way! His ki spiked instantly with his rage. In the brief moment that Nappa's and Vegeta's scouters both reacted to the sudden increase in Raditz's energy, the long-haired man caught the bald one with a powerful, ki-infused right hook, slamming his fist into the elder's left cheek bone. Nappa's head whipped around and he almost fell to the ground, only managing to catch his balance by planting a hand on his space pod. Nappa shook off the blow, turned to face the third-class warrior, and was about to deliver a retaliatory blow of his own when Vegeta interrupted the fight.

"Enough! Both of you!"

"But, Vegeta!" Nappa groused.

"But nothing, Nappa!" scolded Vegeta. "You had that coming to you. And, Raditz, consider yourself lucky that I don't let Nappa beat the shit out of you."

The two subordinates grumbled but didn't argue with Vegeta or with each other.

"What should we do about Bulla?" Raditz eventually ventured to ask.

"What about her?" the prince inquired.

"Shouldn't we go look for her?"

Vegeta answered, "If anything has happened to the girl, it's her own fault for wandering off. I will not be wasting my time searching for someone who has no issue disobeying orders and abandoning her post. If she no longer wishes to remain in our company, then that is her prerogative."

Raditz didn't believe that the situation was so simple. "With all due respect, Prince Vegeta, I don't believe Bulla willingly abandoned her duties."

Vegeta quirked an eyebrow. "Oh?"

The long-haired man quickly referred to the evidence that backed up his theory. "If Bulla had made the decision to separate from us, I don't believe she would have left her personal effects behind. I found those and her scouter inside her space pod."

"Was there any sign of a struggle?" the prince asked skeptically.

Raditz stammered. "Well, no. None that I could determine, anyway. At least not anywhere near any of the space pods. That doesn't mean that she wasn't lured away from camp before she was captured."

Vegeta pondered this information. There was a possibility – a slim one – that the girl had been abducted by the daubeni. While this mattered little to Vegeta since he didn't have very much invested in the girl, he knew that Raditz had foolishly gotten himself attached to her. Vegeta knew that if the girl was in any danger, this would likely affect Raditz's performance during their impending attack upon the natives. If Raditz suspected that Bra was being held captive inside one of the three daubeni cities, then it was unlikely that he'd carry out his part of the mission for fear of placing the girl in harm's way.

Vegeta gritted his teeth in frustration. He needed at least three of their squad battle ready if they were to successfully launch their three-way attack; one warrior to flush out the residents of each of the three daubeni cities. He didn't really need the girl to carry out the attack – he had planned on keeping her at his side since he didn't trust her to purge a city once his back was turned. But with her suddenly missing and Raditz now a liability due to his distraction over her absence, Vegeta's plan was falling apart before it could even commence.

"Have you been able to locate her ki with your scouter," the prince asked the third-class.

"No," Raditz answered with a shake of his head.

"Of course not," Vegeta grumbled, recollecting the issues they had had while trying to get a ki reading from her when he had fought against the girl. "Nappa," he said as he came to a decision. "I want you to search for the girl. Bring her back here when you do."

"Yes, Vegeta," the brute complied as he dismissed himself.

Raditz objected. "I beg your pardon, Prince Vegeta, but I think it would be wiser if I looked for Bulla. I know her scent better than Nappa." The truth was that Raditz feared what would happen to Bulla when and if Nappa did find her.

Vegeta glared at his subordinate, irritated to have his decision questioned. "You may know her scent better, but you forget that Nappa is the better tracker. If she has left any evidence of her whereabouts, he will find the girl. You can be certain of that."

"And if she _hasn't_ left any tracks for him to follow?"

The prince was growing impatient. "The daubeni are cave-dwellers. They have not acquired the ability to fly. _If_ the girl has fallen into the custody of the daubeni, it would have happened on the ground. And _if_ this is the case, Nappa will discover it."

Raditz gritted his teeth. He didn't like the prince's orders, but he had to admit that Vegeta was right. He knew that Nappa had once been trained as a hunter, in the years leading up to the Saiyan-Tsufuru War, when the saiyans were still a race divided into primitive tribes. It was this training that made Nappa an effective killer; he could track down those who would attempt to go into hiding and ride out a purge.

"What are our plans then while we wait for their return?" Raditz asked in order to distract himself from the concern he had for Bulla's safety.

Vegeta averted his gaze towards the lightening sky. The pitch black of night was slowly giving way to the approaching dawn. Although the first sun wouldn't rise for quite some time, the prince began to doubt that their attack would be on schedule. And he hated when his plans didn't follow his set schedule. Irritated by the likely delay, Vegeta rounded on Raditz with a sinister gleam in his eye.

"Care for a spar while we wait?" he taunted.

Raditz didn't care for the predatory look in Vegeta's eyes. But he couldn't refuse his prince. "Certainly," he answered as he dropped into a battle stance. He could only hope that Vegeta would go easy on him knowing that he was needed to fulfill their mission in a few short hours.

* * *

In the depths of the daubeni city, Bra was made to wait inside of a small chamber that had been carved into the rocky material that made up the geography. The city itself was quite amazing. It was an underground labyrinth of tunnels and chambers, dimly luminated by the soft glow of a lichen-like organism that grew on the rocky surfaces. Fortunately, this lichen was just barely bright enough for Bra to see her immediate surroundings without the use of her smart-watch. The scouts had asked her to extinguish the light of her smart-watch before they entered the caves as it was bright enough to damage the eyes of their young ones. Of course, she had complied.

As Bra had been escorted through the city, the halfling could only take in the sights of what was nearest to her. She had to rely on her other senses, mostly that of her sense of smell and sound. The labyrinth of tunnels had a rich, earthy smell. Their footsteps echoed off of the rocky walls.

When her guards had taken her into an enormous chamber, Bra had thought at first that it was completely hollow. Crossing this chamber, she discovered that they were walking alongside of an underground river. She could hear the gentle current bubbling and she could smell a heavy mineral scent. In addition to the scent of the river, the girl could smell something akin to fertilizer and vegetation. The sound of metallic tools striking the ground and the quiet chatter of civilians painted a picture in her mind of a farm. Apparently, the daubeni farmers were able to cultivate crops that thrived without the need of sunlight. These were only a few of the wonders she discovered as she trekked through this veiled city and she wished that she had had the time to explore it further.

A trio of approaching energy sources brought Bra back to the present and alerted her to the presence of three daubeni as they came around a bend in the tunnel leading to the small room she had been left in. Two of the natives looked no different than the other warriors she had encountered during her journey here. The other, who was clearly a man of authority, was dressed very elegantly in long robes and he was much older than his escorts.

When the trio stopped in front of Bra, the elder wordlessly looked the girl over. To his guards, he said in a strong voice that seemed to defy his age, "You may leave us."

One of the warriors objected. "Chancellor, we don't know if we can trust her with you."

The elder replied, "Fear not. I can see in her eyes that we can trust her. Not like the other one who called himself Prince Vegeta."

When the guards left, the chancellor took a seat on a moss-covered stone. Noting that Bra was still standing, he invited, "Please. Sit."

Bra complied.

"What might you call yourself, my dear?"

"My name is Bulla."

"Bulla," he tried out the foreign name on his tongue. "That has an interesting sound to it. It is a pleasure to meet you, Bulla of the Stars. Allow me to introduce myself. I am called Dhaimbo."

"It's nice to meet you too, Dhaimbo. Thank you for seeing me."

Once the formalities were out of the way, the chancellor immediately addressed the issue at hand. "My scouts tell me that you have an important message for me. Please be brief, as I had to rudely excuse myself from the company of my fellow chancellors."

Bra began with an apology. "I'm sorry to inconvenience you like this. But yes, I'm here to give you a warning. And I'm glad that you're still convening with the other chancellors so that you can use the information I'm about to give you as you make your decision about Frieza's proposal."

"I see," the chancellor replied, curiosity piqued, yet apprehensive as well.

"My— uh, Prince Vegeta outlined the details of the contract with you, yes?"

"Indeed, he did. But the other chancellors and myself are wary to sign into such an agreement. While we see that we may reap some lucrative benefits in exchange for contributing our talents to Frieza's cause, we find that his line of business is not to our liking. We are also finding difficulty with justifying the cost of lost lives that are sure to befall our warriors in such a line of work in exchange for a paltry cut of what is essentially blood money. I can see that you understand our stance on this matter."

Bra nodded. "I understand completely why you are hesitant to accept Frieza's terms. I've seen less than a dozen worlds so far that are under Frieza's influence. I've seen what his power has done to these worlds, both good and bad. I can admit that the worlds that have been lucky to have been graced by Frieza's benevolence are not without a darker truth hidden beneath the surface of prosperity and freedom. But those worlds that have suffered under Frieza's greed…" Bra shook her head sadly. "Trust me. You don't want to put yourselves into that position."

The chancellor ran his fingers through his long, white beard. "I appreciate your concern for my people. However, I'm not certain that we can enter into negotiations with Frieza. We will likely turn down his proposal. You understand. But don't fret for us. We daubeni are a resilient people. We have survived for countless generations on this world of ours, a world which is completely inhospitable and desolate to other races. We have survived many calamities. We will survive Frieza as well."

This was what Bra had feared. That her father was right; the daubeni would turn down Frieza's contract and expect to resist the retaliation that was sure to follow. She had to convince Dhaimbo that such a decision would bring tragedy to the daubeni.

"That's why I've come to talk to you," Bra stated. "Frieza doesn't accept 'no' for an answer. Vegeta has already suspected that you would refuse to sign this treaty." She revealed the enclosed holoscreen that contained the contract. "He's made plans to strike your three cities as soon as the suns rise. If you don't accept Frieza's terms, then you'll be forced into subjugation."

"And how is our voluntary contribution to Frieza's slaughter any better than doing so against our wills?" the chancellor challenged. "We would rather fight against our would-be oppressors and die than to have the blood of other innocent races on our hands."

The blunette tried another tactic. "Listen. Frieza won't be in power forever. At the rate things are going, someone will eventually rise up and overthrow him. If you refuse him now, your people won't survive long enough to see that day. Just agree to his terms now and ride out the few years or so before he's gone."

Dhaimbo considered this argument but didn't take it seriously. "You speak of wishful thinking, my dear. I, nor the other chancellors, can base our decisions on such speculation. Who knows how long Frieza will reign before he falls from power? I agree that it may one day happen. But that may be decades away. And who's to say that someone else won't take his place to continue his legacy? I'm sorry. But that is a risk that we cannot take."

Bra felt tears begin to form in her eyes. Tears of frustration. Tears of sorrow. She had practically told him, without literally saying _'Hey, I'm from the future and I know when and where Frieza will die'_ and he still wouldn't listen. How else could she possibly get through to him? The answer lie within the mission instructions she had read earlier in the night.

"Think of your children," the blunette pleaded.

Dhaimbo gave her a peculiar look, silently asking her to elaborate.

She did. "If you don't sign this treaty, it's not your warriors that will be forced into slavery. Your warriors, who will no doubt give their all to defend your cities, your civilians, and your way of life… they will die doing so. When your armies have been broken, the survivors – the _adult_ survivors – will not be taken into custody. They will not be made into slaves. They will be executed. And it will be your _children_ who will bear the burden of your refusal. It will be your _children_ who will be swept away, off of this world, to be indoctrinated into the life of Frieza's army. They will have no choice. They will become killers. The blood you would try so desperately to keep from soiling your hands will paint theirs instead.

"This is the order that has been given to Vegeta and his men – to kidnap your little ones if you turn down the contract. And the saiyans will obey this order because they have had _their_ choice stripped from them. So _please_… If you want what's best for your children, I beg you to sign this contract. One way or another, Frieza will have daubeni working for him. Don't let it be your children who do. Sending off your warriors to work for Frieza is a small price to pay to ensure that your young ones will be allowed to grow up here, in their homes, with their families, and with their innocence intact."

Chancellor Dhaimbo was silent as he absorbed this dark information and her heartfelt plea. After several minutes, he quietly said, "Thank you for sharing this with me, Bulla. Please excuse me while I share this with the other chancellors."

Bra nodded as Dhaimbo wordlessly rose from his seat and exited the chamber. The teenager clenched the holopad in her hands, praying that she had gotten through to the chancellor. She waited in the quiet darkness for what seemed to be an eternity before she got an answer.

* * *

As the northern sky grew brighter with the encroaching dawn, Nappa's task of locating the missing Bra became easier and easier. At first, when the night was still very dark, it was nearly impossible to distinguish the girl's tracks, even with the use of his ki to light his way. But luck was on his side. The girl had left their camp on foot and eventually, he had located her tiny footsteps in the black, desert sands. He carefully followed them away from their camp. His progress was slow at first, losing sight of her path twice, but he very quickly rediscovered her trail.

Not long after leaving camp, the giant discovered several sets of footprints that had approached Bra's own set, appearing to have surrounded her. He cursed. The daubeni had located them at some point during the night, and it had obviously occurred when the girl was on watch. Nappa could see where the daubeni had confronted Bra, evidenced by several sets of large footprints. Then almost all of these footprints, Bra's included, headed back into the direction from whence they came. Two individuals, it seemed, had wandered off into a different direction. There appeared to be no sign of a struggle, but it looked as though the girl had surrendered without resisting and had been taken captive.

Nappa cursed. "Stupid, weak bitch. The least she could have done was _try_ to fight them off. And if she had been wearing her scouter like I told her to, she could have called on us for help! Now I have to find her sorry ass!"

As the mustachioed man continued onward, tracing the steps towards his destination, thoughts of punishing the girl for the inconvenience she had caused danced in his head. As the first sun began to peak above the horizon to the north, a city cave entrance came into view. Nappa grinned with satisfaction, knowing that his hunt was coming to a close.

* * *

Bra was antsy. Being below ground for so long, she wasn't exactly sure if dawn had broken yet or not. But she suspected that it had. She feared that the saiyans would launch their attack at any moment. The only relief she had was that there was nothing out of the ordinary to indicated the beginnings of an invasion – yet. The girl wanted to reach the surface quickly, fearing that every moment spent below ground was another moment wasted when she could be on her way back to camp.

Two daubeni escorted Bra through the twisting, winding corridors towards the surface. She wished they'd go faster. She wished she could navigate the tunnels without them. But she would never be able to find her way out of the dark depths of the maze that made up their city. As she worried, she clenched within her hands the folded metal rod that contained the signed contract. She had to get this to her father as quickly as possible.

When they rounded the next bend, light from the surface could be seen. In the shadows, Bra could see several dozen warriors laying in wait. It seemed as though the chancellors weren't taking any chances. Just in case the saiyans decided to attack despite the signed contract, they had posted soldiers to guard the entrances to their cities.

The important thing was that with light spilling into the cave, Bra knew that she was almost to the surface. She was relieved that she'd be above ground soon. But at the same time, she was filled with terror. So much light spilling into the cave could only mean that dawn was already upon them. And somewhere above ground, she could sense Nappa's ki. _Oh my, Dende! They're about to start the attack!_ she presumed.

"This is as far as we can take you," one of the daubeni informed her. "The light of day is too bright for us to go further."

"That's okay. I can find my way from here," Bra assured him. "Thank you for taking me this far. But I must go quickly. Thank you."

The blunette didn't wait for any salutation. She literally flew towards the cave entrance as quickly as she could while safely navigating the tunnel. Her mind was focused on one thing; stop the attack. As she emerged from the cave, she was so intent on reaching Vegeta as quickly as possible that she completely ignored Nappa's presence just outside of the cave. But the giant had been monitoring Bra's energy ever since she used a burst of ki to hasten her progress towards the surface. He was ready for her when she came speeding out of the cave.

"Gotcha!" Nappa called out as he flew into Bra's path, catching her by both arms.

Bra was startled. She hadn't expected to literally run into Nappa. "What are you doing, Nappa? Let me go!" she demanded irritably.

"What am I doing?" the bald man repeated. "I'm rescuing you, of course! If you hadn't have run off in the middle of the night, then maybe you wouldn't have been captured!"

Bra was confused at first, then a little startled as she realized how things appeared to the saiyan. To him, it appeared as if she was making a mad dash to escape from the natives.

"No! Don't hurt them!" she begged. "The daubeni didn't capture me! I was safe the entire time!"

Now it was Nappa's turn to be confused. "'The daubeni didn't…'" he repeated her for a second time before coming to another conclusion. His face darkened as he accused, "You _traitorous_ little bitch! You went to the daubeni _willingly_ so that you could forewarn them of our attack, didn't you?"

The teenager realized that she was suddenly in more danger than the daubeni were at the moment. She tried to explain, "Well, yeah… But it's not what it looks like! I was trying to—"

The girl's words were cut off as Nappa clamped a large hand over the bottom half of her face. Into his scouter, he said, "Did you hear that, Vegeta? The girl is a traitor! She said so herself. What would you have me do with her?"

* * *

Several miles away, Vegeta had been standing in place, impatiently watching the northern horizon. His light spar with Raditz had lasted only twenty minutes and the long-haired saiyan was currently tending to the half dozen small lacerations he had acquired from their bout. Since then, the prince had been waiting to hear from Nappa. Just as the first sun began to crest, his scouter crackled to life with Nappa's voice. Vegeta listened over the scouter as Nappa announced that he had arrived at one of the daubeni caves and had gotten a lock on Bra's ki signature.

Less than a minute later, the prince heard a brief scuffle, like that of two bodies colliding, following the short exchange between the giant and the girl.

"_Did you hear that, Vegeta? The girl is a traitor! She said so herself. What would you have me do with her?"_ Nappa called through the scouter.

Vegeta gritted his teeth. He couldn't believe that the girl would betray them so quickly after they had accepted her into their squad! That was _exactly_ why he preferred to work only with saiyans. He could, at the very least, rely upon their loyalty.

"Bring her to me," Vegeta ordered in a calm voice that defied the rage he felt swirling inside. "I will deal with her personally. And since the daubeni are no doubt aware of our intentions, I have no choice but to revise our strategy. Once you have returned with the girl, I will brief you on our new plan and we shall commence our attack."

* * *

Back at the cave entrance, Bra listened in horror as Nappa shared his false accusation with her father. She couldn't hear the entirety of her father's response over Nappa's scouter. But the final three words he spoke came very clearly to Bra. Having not heard the context of his instructions, the teenager immediately assumed that Vegeta had given the order to start their invasion.

"NO!" the halfling screamed as she muscled her way out of Nappa's grasp. She shoved the brute away from her as hard as she could, planting the palms of her hands in his midsection. Nappa coughed as the air was forced from his lungs. He was unable to stop Bra from launching herself into the air at breakneck speeds.

In his ear, Nappa heard Vegeta's voice bark, _"Nappa! What's going on? What was that I just heard?"_

The giant coughed twice more to stabilize his breathing. "The wench… she got away… from me."

"_Damn it, Nappa! Can't you handle _one_ little girl?"_

Nappa rose to his full height and stared off in the direction Bra had flown. He clicked his scouter a few times and then a wide grin blossomed across his face. "Don't worry, Vegeta. Without her scouter, the dumb bitch has no idea that she's heading straight for ya."

There was silence over the scouter for a moment and then Vegeta said in a calmer tone, _"Very well. I'll intercept her. Meanwhile, get your ass back here, Nappa."_

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Contrary to Nappa's beliefs, Bra knew _exactly_ where she was headed. As soon as she had broken free of the giant's grip, she flexed her ki sense across the desert in all directions – she wasn't sure from which direction she had trekked during the almost absolute dark of the night – until she felt her father's boiling ki. Despite feeling his tumultuous emotions through the erratic behavior of his energy and knowing that she was the cause, she headed straight for him. She knew that the only way to halt the attack and save the lives of countless daubeni was to get the signed contract to her father immediately.

Unlike her journey across the desert during the night, which was by foot and took considerable time, her flight back to camp took only a few minutes. When the pods came into view, she spotted the dark blot hovering in the air over the ships that could only be her father. As she neared him, she could see that he was expecting her. He was glaring at her with his arms crossed over his chest and a single finger on his right hand tapping on his bicep; those were the only two visible signs of his displeasure.

In this moment, Bra was literally the child who had gravely disappointed a parent. Though Vegeta didn't know that he would be the one to sire the blunette nineteen years from now, he had that silent scolding disposition already mastered. Bra felt the impact of this disapproval weigh heavily on her, but she forced herself to push aside the guilt she felt for her disobedience. She confronted her father.

"Don't attack them!" the girl cried out as she came to a stop in front of the prince. "I have it right here!"

Vegeta continued to glare at the girl as she held out the enfolded holoscreen, the one that held the contract that would bring the daubeni under Frieza's jurisdiction. He wasn't sure how the girl had gotten a hold of the document. It irritated him that the confidential information held within the device had fallen into the hands of someone who had proven to be completely untrustworthy. On the other hand, he was mildly intrigued.

"What are you talking about, girl?" Vegeta growled.

"The contract! I have it! You don't have to attack the daubeni!" Bra opened the holoscreen and scrolled down to the bottom before showing it to her father. "Look! I got them to sign it. All three chancellors. See? We don't have to purge them anymore!"

The prince snatched the holoscreen from the teenager. He took a long moment to gaze upon the three insignia's that had been digitally scrawled at the bottom of the document. He was mystified. One moment, he was certain that the girl had gone traitor. And the next moment, she had proven the contrary, having completed their mission single-handedly.

Likewise, Vegeta had been certain that the daubeni wouldn't agree to Frieza's terms. But the proof lie in his hands that the opposite was true. He couldn't believe that he had been wrong. He didn't like being wrong. And he didn't like having a child half his age pointing out his errors, even inadvertently. And he most certainly didn't like said child disobeying his orders in order to prove him wrong. Vegeta had half a mind to smash the device right then and there and then attack the daubeni anyway just to prove that he was the one in charge and that his orders were not to be questioned.

But Vegeta restrained himself. The girl had saved them valuable time and energy. The complete purging of the planet would have taken the better part of a fortnight. And then they would have had to play guard duty on those they took captive while they waited for a prisoners' vessel to come and acquisition the captives. While Vegeta didn't like being undermined, he had to admit that the girl had saved him a lot of unnecessary trouble. It was for that reason, and that reason alone, that he decided she would be spared his wrath.

* * *

Seated in his space pod, Raditz was unaware of what was transpiring overhead. Eager to learn of Bra's safe return, he had left his scouter on and scanning for energy sources so that he'd be alerted the moment the girl had made herself known. Unfortunately, the last of six lacerations he had to clean and cauterize had been above his temple and in order to tend to it, he had had no choice but to remove his scouter. This had left him in the dark when Bra made her mad dash back to camp in order to stop what she believed to be the start of the saiyans' attack on the daubeni.

Raditz closed the wound as quickly as possible. The patch job was sloppy at best, but it was the least of his concerns. He put his scouter back on as soon as the wound was mended. Instantly, he was aware of the two strong energy levels above him and a third closing in very quickly. He was stunned that events had taken such a sharp turn in such a short amount of time. The long-haired saiyan pulled himself out from the depths of his space pod, turned ninety degrees to the right, and looked skyward.

Sure enough, the blue-haired girl was hovering fifty feet above the ground. And so was Vegeta. The two were facing one another with only a few feet of space between them. The prince appeared calm, but Raditz knew that that was a façade. He knew Vegeta's body language well enough to know that he was livid. Raditz was filled with anxiety. _Has Bulla so quickly pushed her luck with Prince Vegeta beyond its limit? What can I possibly do to mitigate the damage she has caused? _ Bra, on the other hand, appeared fear stricken, but at the same time, she had a look of determination on her face. Raditz wasn't entirely sure what mischief the girl was up to.

To make matters worse, Nappa chose that moment to arrive. Raditz, already worried about Bra's fate, became ever more concerned. He flew up into the air and took a stance behind Bra, covering her back, as Nappa approached from behind her.

Nappa yelled, "Get out of my way, _third-class_! That bitch is a traitor!"

"I'm _not_ a traitor!" Bra refuted over her shoulder.

"That's a lie!" Raditz rebutted.

"Then ask her _why_ she ran off to go socialize with the daubeni!" Nappa insisted. Before Raditz could respond, the giant added, "She told them our plans to attack them at dawn! Not only has she delayed our schedule, but she's allowed them the opportunity to amass their soldiers at the entrances to their cities!"

Raditz looked over his shoulder at the girl at his back. He stared at her with an incredulous face. He couldn't believe that Bra would betray them like that. Then again, she _had_ tried to intervene with his purge assignment on Planet 4DR14. She made it abundantly clear how opposed she was to the needless termination of life forms. _Would she _really_ go so far as to warn the daubeni?_ he wondered. And this accusation only exacerbated his fear for her safety. _If this is true, Prince Vegeta will likely execute her for her treason. I can't let that happen. If I must, I will hold them back as long as I can so that she can get to her space pod and flee._

But, as it turned out, Raditz didn't need to worry.

Bra turned to face her accuser and said snidely, "If you had taken a moment to actually _listen_ to what I was trying to say, _Nappa_, then you would have known that I didn't go and tattle to the daubeni. I went to them to convince them to sign the contract!"

"She lies!" Nappa blurted, refusing to believe her claim.

Impatient with all the bickering, Vegeta finally intervened. "She tells the truth, Nappa. Here is the contract, signed by all three of the chancellors. Our work here is done."

Both Nappa and Raditz were full of disbelief. Nappa had been certain that he had caught the girl in the act of treachery and that they'd be done with her. He wanted nothing more than to be rid of her since her presence was a constant reminder of his shameful defeat to her. Raditz couldn't believe that not only had Bra found a way to avoid a purge, but she had done so by convincing the natives to place themselves under Frieza's rule. He knew that that, too, went against her morals. And even more surprising was that Vegeta seemed to be okay with the fact that the girl had done this of her own volition.

"But, Vegeta!" Nappa protested. "She jeopardized our assignment by going and speaking with the daubeni in the first place! If they hadn't have signed the contract, then she would have made our mission far more difficult!"

"But I didn't!" Bra snapped.

"Nappa is correct," Vegeta scolded. "Your actions put all of us at risk. You're lucky that this foolish decision of yours worked in your favor."

Bra was shocked that Vegeta disapproved of her efforts. She had thought that once he saw the contract, that at the very least, he'd be satisfied with what she had done. She had hoped that perhaps she would've gained his approval. Instead, she now realized, he was quite the opposite. He was merely tolerant of her behavior because she had been successful. She was now fretful, knowing that failure had been a very real possibility. How would the prince have reacted if her actions _had_ been a failure?

Vegeta continued. "From this point forward, girl, I will have no more disobedience from you."

"But I didn't—" Bra began to refute, but she was interrupted.

From Raditz, she heard him urge, _"Don't argue with Prince Vegeta. You will not win."_

The Prince snapped, "You _did_ disobey me. Did you follow my order to stand watch over the camp when it was your shift? No. Did you follow my order to attack the daubeni at dawn? No. _I_ am the leader of this squad and I expect my orders to be obeyed. If you cannot handle that, then you can remain on this world and find your own way home. Do I make myself clear?"

Bra was in turmoil. She didn't think that her father would be so upset with her. She thought that she had been doing something good, something that would benefit everyone all around, at least to some degree. She didn't think that her actions would have been such a burden. She couldn't handle her father's disappointment. It was far worse than his threat to abandon her on this world. She felt so horrible inside that she struggled to keep her eyes from watering. She absolutely refused to break down and cry and show weakness in front of them.

Of course, Nappa couldn't keep his mouth shut when he noticed how upset Bra was getting. "You see, Raditz? _This_ is why we can't keep females around. They are far too emotional and sentimental. Nothing can get done with that sort of weakness."

This snide remark infuriated Raditz, but it infuriated Bra even more. She shoved the giant quite roughly, shouting, "Shut up, Nappa!" before she descended towards the ground and into her space pod where she locked herself up inside.

The bald-headed man scoffed. "Well, _that_ was unpleasant."

"And inconvenient," Vegeta added irritably. To elaborate, he added, "The girl has obviously built a rapport with the natives. I needed her to go with me to give the daubeni the final instructions pertaining to their draft into Frieza's army. If what you say is true, and their warriors are laying in wait at every entrance into their cities, then the easiest way in to see their chancellors would have been through their trust in the girl. Now, thanks to _you_, Nappa, my task has been made more difficult."

Nappa was abashed. "Sorry, Prince Vegeta."

"Raditz," Vegeta ordered, "since you seem to be so concerned about the girl, go see to her. I want her emotions stabilized before we depart. I will not be dealing with…_that_…" he gestured towards Bra's pod, "…on the next stop in our journey."

"Yes, Prince Vegeta," Raditz confirmed before descending towards Bra's space pod.

"What about me, Vegeta?" Nappa asked eagerly. "What do you want me to do?"

The prince sneered. "Stay away from the girl. And stay out of trouble. I will return shortly."

* * *

From inside her ship, Bra could sense Vegeta's departure as he headed towards the nearest daubeni city. Nappa's energy, too, moved away from the camp, but he didn't go far. Raditz, on the other hand, had come to rest just outside the door to her pod. She heard him knock on the ship's exterior.

"_Bulla?"_ came Raditz's voice through their link.

"_What do you want?"_ the girl snapped irritably.

"_Open the door, Bulla."_

"_Why should I?"_

"_Because you are behaving rudely. I have done nothing to you. There is no reason for you to keep this door shut in my face."_

Bra realized that Raditz was right, even though she'd prefer to be left alone for a while. Reluctantly, she pressed the button that released the locking mechanism to the portal and the door slowly opened. Raditz had stepped back to allow space for the door and once it had settled, he leaned into the opening to look upon the girl. Like a petulant child, she sat as turned around as she could in the seat of her pod, with her face turned away from him. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest as she stared at the back of her pod.

"Talk to me," Raditz calmly requested. He couldn't help but grin at the girl's childish behavior. He knew that it was wrong to condone it, even privately, but she was being so ridiculous that it amused him.

"About what?" Bra snapped.

"What's wrong with you?" he returned. "Why are you so upset? Prince Vegeta could have done so much worse than give you a tongue lashing. And you're acting as though it's the end of the world."

Bra finally turned to face the long-haired man. He noticed that while her nose was red and her eyes were watery, she wasn't crying. At least not yet. And that was a good thing, in his opinion. All he had to do was to gently pull her back from the verge of spilling those tears.

"Tell me what's wrong," Raditz gently prompted.

"I wanted him to be proud of me," the blunette quietly admitted.

Raditz furrowed his brows. "Who? Prince Vegeta?"

Bra nodded.

Raditz laughed.

"What's so funny?" she demanded.

"Prince Vegeta takes pride in one thing and one thing only – himself."

Bra wrinkled her nose. "That's the stupidest thing I ever heard." Sure, she knew from experience that her daddy was a very prideful man. But he took pride in so much more than just himself. He not only took pride in himself, but he took pride in his heritage, his strength, his home world, his new home on Earth, and most importantly, his family. _Okay,_ she admitted to herself, _so everything he takes pride in is an extension of himself in some way. I guess it's not so far-fetched._

Raditz grinned at the girl's seeming naivety. "You don't know Prince Vegeta like I do."

Bra smirked, finding her companion's presumption to be rather humorous. Raditz took her smile as a good indication of her lifting spirits. He just had to keep her going in the right direction.

"Yep, Prince Vegeta is probably the most prideful person in this quadrant of the galaxy," Raditz reflected as he settled down into a seated position in the doorway of the pod. "There was this one time, when he and I were about ten cycles old, when he bragged about how long he could remain in battle underwater. And as he went on and on about this, another child soldier overheard him. This other kid, Cui was his name, well, he challenged Prince Vegeta to an underwater spar. The terms of which was that if either of them should return to the surface or pass out from lack of oxygen, then the match would be forfeit and the other would be declared the winner. Of course, Prince Vegeta accepted the challenge because he believed himself to be the best. What he was too naïve to realize at the time, was that Cui was of an amphibian race – well suited for long durations below water."

Bra was captivated by this story of her father's childhood. Very rarely did Vegeta ever divulge any information about his past, so this little morsel that Raditz offered was irresistable. "What happened?"

Raditz's grin grew. "Well, even though Prince Vegeta was clearly stronger than Cui, he didn't have the underwater endurance that Cui had. But that didn't get in the way of the prince's pride. He absolutely refused to be the first one to breach the surface. As the match wore on, Cui knew that Prince Vegeta's endurance was diminishing very quickly. Cui knew that at this point all he had to do to win was to keep away from Prince Vegeta. The prince, naturally, became infuriated at what he perceived to be Cui's cowardice and put more energy into trying to chase him down.

"Cui wasn't expecting Prince Vegeta's level of determination, however. There came a point where it appeared that Prince Vegeta was going to pass out. Feeling that the match was nearly over, Cui dropped his guard to gloat over the prince. And that was when Prince Vegeta struck. He punched Cui so hard in the gut that he lost his breath. Cui had to return to the surface. But at the same time, Prince Vegeta had released his own air while delivering the blow and went unconscious."

Bra's eyes widened. "How did Prince Vegeta survive?"

"Nappa rescued him, as was his duty. When he saw Prince Vegeta go still beneath the water, he dove in and pulled him out. After a few hard whacks on the back, the prince had coughed up all the water he had swallowed. Despite having nearly drowned, Prince Vegeta was furious that Nappa had intervened. Even though the prince had little energy after the spar, that didn't stop him from tearing Nappa's tail in two, figuratively speaking, of course." Raditz grinned mirthfully. "But how Prince Vegeta looked after that match! Never before or since have I seen him look so pathetic. His face was ashen and his lips were blue. He was a water-logged mess. I couldn't stop myself from laughing at him. Of course, this earned me my own thrashing, though not as bad as the one Nappa had received. Fava and Zuki had to carry Nappa back to base and throw him in a regen tank for a while."

Bra tried to picture all of this as Raditz told the tale. A grin tugged at her lips as she imagined the behavior of her father when he was only ten. She couldn't help but notice the similarities between her father as told in Raditz's story and the daddy she knew back home. The super competitive attitude stood out most predominately.

"That sounds like something Prince Vegeta would do," the blunette softly commented.

Raditz couldn't help but admire the grin on the girl's face. It made him feel elated to have brought such a smile. At the same time, he felt troubled by her far-away and dreamy look as she thought about Prince Vegeta and the antics Raditz had shared with her. _Why did I chose such a tale to tell her?_ Raditz suddenly questioned himself. _The girl was furious with Prince Vegeta before I intervened. I should have left it that way. I should not have given Bulla the idea that Prince Vegeta's behavior is a lingering, but harmless, trait from his childhood. I have given her the means to forgive Prince Vegeta for being harsh with her. And with that, she once again sees the prince in a more endearing light._

Raditz tried to hide his bitter jealousy from Bra. Unfortunately, some of his emotions still broke through his mental barriers and seeped through that growing connection between the two of them. Bra was drawn back to the present when she sensed something was amiss with her suitor.

With furrowed eyebrows, the teenager asked, "Is something wrong?"

Raditz really didn't want to discuss Prince Vegeta any further. He certainly didn't want to tell Bra how he felt about her obvious admiration for the prince. So Raditz changed the subject to something else, something that also concerned him. He placed a large hand on Bra's leg, just above her knee, establishing intimate contact with her as he shared this concern.

Averting his eyes, Raditz admitted, "Being a saiyan and a soldier, I think you can understand that what I'm about to tell you comes with much difficulty, Bulla. But today… when I woke and you were gone… I was worried."

This surprised and alarmed Bra. "Why?" she asked.

Raditz met her eyes with his. "I thought something had happened to you. I thought Nappa had—"

Bra burst out laughing. "Nappa? Really? You're joking, right? I mean… what could Nappa possibly do to me? You saw how poorly he fought against me. He's not dangerous to me."

"Bulla, please listen to me," the long-haired man pleaded. "You can't presume that you're safe from Nappa's wrath. You can't base the outcome of every future confrontation the two of you may have upon the result of that one match you had against him. You have to understand that his head wasn't very clear when you fought him. As a matter of fact, his mind hasn't been very clear in many, many years.

"It may not seem so, but Nappa is very close to losing himself. Too many years of abuse under Frieza's reign after having lost his mate and children has made him very unstable. Only his duty to Prince Vegeta has prevented him from slipping into madness. His duty has given Nappa a sense of purpose. But as Prince Vegeta grew into adulthood and needed Nappa less and less… Nappa has only gotten worse. If Prince Vegeta didn't have Nappa so tightly by the tail, there's no knowing what Nappa would do.

"Bulla, you've already given Nappa a reason to dislike you. I strongly suggest that you tone down your animosity towards him unless you want to incur his rage even further. I'm afraid that if you do that, you will cause him to release all the years of pent up fury upon you. Don't give him a reason to focus his wrath upon you. I don't want him to find a new purpose – to cause you harm."

Bra wanted to tell Raditz that his concern was unnecessary. She wanted to reassure him that she was many times stronger than Nappa and that no matter how furious he got with her, fighting him would be like swatting away a harmless fly. But she couldn't bring herself to dismiss his concerns. The honest and urgent look on his face told her that if she were to refute his worries, then she'd only exacerbate them. She placed her hands on the one he still had resting on her leg.

"I'll try to get along with Nappa," the halfling promised.

Raditz nodded. It was all he could hope for.

Bra's eyes moved away from Raditz and off towards the distance, gazing into the sky. "Prince Vegeta is on his way back," she announced. "He's almost here."

Raditz was surprised. He clicked on his scouter, and sure enough, it detected an approaching ki. What surprised Raditz was that Bra still wasn't wearing her scouter and would have had no way of detecting energy sources. The only conclusion he could come up with – one that sent his heart plummeting into his stomach – was that the teenager must be developing a bond with the prince as well. Although the bond that Raditz suspected was forming between Vegeta and Bra could be any one of several types of bonds that formed in saiyan culture, Raditz feared that the one possibly forming between the prince and the blunette was one of mating. But Raditz couldn't be any further from the truth. What he had misunderstood to be a forming bond between the two was, in fact, Bra's ability to sense ki, an ability that was completely unheard of to anyone employed by the Planet Trade Organization.

Raditz rose to his feet, feeling dejected once again. In a voice that was suddenly colder, he said to Bra, "Gather your things and prepare for departure. As soon as Prince Vegeta gets here, he'll want to leave."

Uncertain what had caused Raditz's shift in behavior, Bra simply nodded and did as he said.

* * *

From the single window in her space pod, Bra watched as Planet Desra started as an enormous grey and black planet and then slowly begin to shrink in size. As she exited the planet's atmosphere, she caught sight of a large transport ship approaching the planet. Her heart sank. She had had no idea that the vehicle had been waiting in orbit this entire time. She had assumed that the daubeni would have more time before the first of their warriors were taken away from their home world to the nearest Planet Trade Outpost where they would receive new training. Now, she was discovering that they likely had a matter of hours to say goodbye to their loved ones. And they'd probably never see their family, friends, or homes ever again.

As Bra watched Planet Desra grow smaller with the growing distance, she felt plagued with guilt for her involvement. Having convinced the daubeni to sign Frieza's contract, was she no better than any other planet purger? She had essentially made slaves out of the daubeni, after all, even though she had vowed to never become an enslaver. She wondered if she should have intervened at all. _What if the daubeni were supposed to have died?_ she wondered. _I was so caught up trying to save the lives of the daubeni that I never considered that my actions might have just altered history._

Growing sick with that thought, the teenager lamented, _What have I done? I'm an enslaver _and_ I'm screwing up the timeline!_ She tried to calm herself down. _No. I can't think like that. The daubeni might have signed the contract anyway. I have to believe that the outcome would have been no different if I had never traveled back in time. But then, if that were true, my actions here made no difference and I shouldn't have gotten involved at all. Which makes me a horrible person because I enslaved those people for my own peace of mind._

Bra felt terribly nauseous. Fortunately, the sleeping agent began to fill her space pod. As the gas slowly brought her to sleep, her final thoughts lingered on whether or not she had done the right thing.

* * *

**Story Notes:**  
_Zuki_ – from _adzuki bean_, a bean native to east Asia.  
_Fava_ – from _fava bean_, a bean native to northern Africa.  
_Desra_ – from _desera_, Malagasy for Desert.  
_Daubeni_ – from _daubentonia madagascariensis_, commonly known as the _aye-aye_. The aye-aye is an endangered species, a nocturnal primate native to Madagascar.  
_beno'i_ – also derived from _daubentonia_.  
_Dhaimbo_ – from _Odhaimbo_, meaning _born in the evening_ in various languages of eastern Africa.


	15. Lesson Fifteen

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Fifteen  
We Are Not Invulnerable_

_The memories of my early childhood is littered with the echoes of Daddy's voice as he bragged over and over again about the superiority of the saiyan race over many others, especially the human race. Having listened to such claims for so many years and having had unquestionable trust in Daddy's words, by the time I was ten years old, I had come to believe that saiyans and those of saiyan blood were inherently invincible. When I was eleven, I learned the fallacy of such a belief._

_As the summer of my eleventh year approached, I was growing ever more excited about a planned trip to Garana Island, a tropical resort not far from South Capital. Momma had been planning out this trip for several months. As the days drew closer, I couldn't stop thinking about how I would be spending our twenty-one days at the resort. Mornings spent perusing the local fashion trends. Afternoons tanning on sunny beaches. And evenings tasting exotic dishes. To say that I was quite eager to go on this vacation was putting it very lightly._

_A week before our planned departure, Trunks came down with an unusual cold. It was very rare for any of us of saiyan blood to fall ill. So, at first, Trunks's little sniffle and occasional sneezes were taken very lightly. He continued going to work, he continued sparring with Daddy, and he continued hanging out with Goten. But his symptoms quickly became more severe. By the third day, Trunks was very feverish, he was exhausted, and he had developed a lower respiratory infection. By that third day, I began to experience the early symptoms. With both me and Trunks under the weather, I began to worry about the fate of our impending trip._

_Two days before we were supposed to have left for Garana Island, Trunks was feeling no better and my own condition had worsened. But I was adamant about going on our vacation. I refused to believe that I could be sick. Even though I could barely get out of bed, I continued to browse through my summer outfits, trying to decide on a wardrobe for our trip. I had three suitcases that were just _screaming_ to be filled, after all._

_Momma was worried about me, of course. She tried to get me to stay in bed and get some rest. But I wouldn't listen to her. All the times she scolded me to return to bed, not once did she appear to be sick at all. That observation only hardened my resolve. I figured that if Momma, a full-blooded human, was completely unaffected by whatever alleged illness had struck me and Trunks, then we couldn't possibly be sick at all. We were demi-saiyans, after all. We were immune to all known diseases. We couldn't have possibly succumbed to the infection of insignificant, microscopic, single-celled creatures!_

_But then, something completely shattered that belief. The very morning of our scheduled departure, Daddy came to my room to see me, to convince me to obey Momma and get some rest. To my surprise, Daddy was just as sick as I was. He erected a convincing façade to hide his symptoms, but I could see that the short trip from his and Momma's bedroom to my own had taxed him greatly. I was shocked to see the pale color of his face, the dark rings under his eyes, the sheen of perspiration on his skin, and the difficulty he had breathing. Still, I refused to acknowledge what my eyes were telling me.  
"Your mother says that you are being difficult," Daddy stated._

_"I'm not being difficult," I retorted. "I'm being a saiyan. And saiyans don't get sick."_

_Daddy grinned briefly before a coughing fit overcame him. When it settled, he said, "If you aren't sick, then what would you call it?"_

_I thought a moment and then said, "A temporary inconvenience."_

_ That comment earned a suppressed chuckle from Daddy. Then he asked, "Why are you so certain that you aren't ill?"_

_ "Because I've never been sick before. Cuz saiyans don't get sick. You said so lotsa times."_

_ Daddy sighed. "I might have been embellishing."_

_ My eyes widened. Tears formed. If that was true, if Daddy had been exaggerating about saiyan immunity, then that meant all of us really _were_ sick and that our vacation was cancelled._

_ "But… you said…" I cried as my hopes came crashing down._

_ "I know what I've said," Daddy wheezed. "I regret having made such claims so often. I realize that they've left a false impression upon you."_

_ "So… me and Trunks _really_ are sick?"_

_ "I'm afraid so, princess. As am I."_

_ "It's not fair!" I sobbed._

_ "I know."_

_ "We're not supposed to get sick!"_

_ Another bout of coughing, a weaker one, erupted from Daddy's chest. "We saiyans, we don't usually fall ill, no. But we are not immune to all ailments. Every once in a great while, we do get sick, and when we do, it's usually quite severe."_

_ Wallowing in disappointment, I quietly listened to Daddy. Only an occasional sniffle broke my silence._

_ "Your mother has a team of microbiologists running tests on this illness to find the cause and a cure. Oddly, in this case, it's _because_ of our saiyan DNA that this strain of virus has developed. It has lain dormant inside our bodies, slowly mutating until it reached its current form where it now has the ability to attack our bodies. Your mother, if you've noticed, has not fallen ill and that is because she, a mere human, is immune to this saiyan-born virus. It is very fortunate that this strain cannot attack human cells. Because of our saiyan immunities, this disease is very aggressive and if it were contagious among humans, it would cause a pandemic of untold lethality."_

_ I considered Daddy's explanation. "So… it's _because_ we're saiyan that we got sick."_

_ "Correct. You must remember, that while we saiyans are immune to almost every conceivable ailment and illness, we are not impervious to one hundred percent of them. We _can_ succumb to illnesses and other toxins. If you ever experience any symptoms, it's best not to ignore them. Ailments that have the ability to affect us are exponentially stronger than those that don't. Ignoring your symptoms and their cause could be deadly."_

_ My eyes widened. "Is this virus we have deadly to us?"_

_ "No," Daddy reassured me. "Your mother's medical team is close to developing an antivirus. But until then, you must promise me that you will listen to your mother and get some rest."_

_ Sadly, I complied. "Yes, Daddy."_

_ "Don't fret, girl. Your mother is already rescheduling this wretched vacation."_

_ I smiled. I was still disappointed that our trip was delayed, but I was happy that I wasn't going to miss out on it altogether. In hindsight, this rare bronchial infection had been a blessing. Had I not had this experience, I would have continued through life under the guise that I was completely immune to anything and everything. And this false information wouldn't cause me to make uneducated decisions._

* * *

Date: Age 759, Fourth Galactic Quarter, Day 89 (Approx. 21 December, 759)  
Location: the inner orbits of an unexplored solar system

Bra slowly came to consciousness listening to the distant sound of her alarm clock screaming at her for her attention. In that moment, she forgot that she was in the depths of space and, in her groggy state, she believed herself to be home, safely tucked away in her bed. That false sense of orientation quickly faded as her mind began to process the source of the wailing noise. _Why is my clock set to 'alarm' mode?_ she thought sleepily. _I never set it to 'alarm' mode; I always have it set to the radio. And besides, I'm always awake before my clock goes off._

The blunette cracked her eyes open and realized that she was not at home. She was somewhere out in the midst of the galaxy, countless light-years from where she wished she was. Fully awake now, the screaming alarm sounded deafening. The interior of her space pod was dimly lit by a red warning light. With her anxiety skyrocketing from the overstimulation of her senses, she scrambled to find two things. The first was the control panel that would deactivate the alarm. The second was the reason why it had gone off in the first place. Bra had just discovered the switch and shut off the insufferable wailing when she heard a voice enter her mind.

_"Bulla? Are you awake?"_ It was Raditz.

Bra concentrated on the link between herself and the saiyan and replied, _"Yeah. I'm awake. What's going on?"_

_"Has your space pod taken any damage?"_

The question spiked the girl's anxiety once again. _"I don't know. I haven't been up long enough to check. Why? What happened?"_

As Bra began reading her pod's activity log, Raditz answered, _"We've flown through an undocumented particle field."_

_"What!? How could that have happened?"_

_ "I understand how you feel. The only star charts we have of this planetary system indicate that there should have been a small asteroid circling this system's star between its fifth and sixth planets. That asteroid is now absent. Most likely, the particle field we encountered was the remnants of that asteroid."_

_ "Shit…"_ Bra muttered_. "My pod has several exterior hull breaches."_

_ "Is your interior hull secure?"_ the long-haired saiyan asked with concern.

_"It seems that way. What about your pod? And the others?"_

_"All of our pods have sustained some damage. Hull breaches on all of our pods. The life support system in Prince Vegeta's pod has taken a hit and right now he's running on back up. My pod has lost use of its galactic positioning system – I'm relying on information being relayed from Nappa's pod to make an emergency landing."_

_ "Are we all landing then?"_ Bra asked with trepidation.

_"We have to. Fortunately, the nearest hospitable planet appears to be the fourth planet in this solar system. With only a slight shift in our current trajectory, we'll be there soon. So hold on tight until we do."_

Bra was very nervous. She sought comfort from Raditz through their bond. He gladly complied, sending her thoughts of reassurance. She accepted what he could offer her, but her mind was barely eased. She realized that they were likely thousands of miles apart – a stone's throw in galactic increments of measurement – and helpless to do anything for the others if the situation should worsen.

_"How long until we land?"_ the teen asked.

_"Unfortunately, the fourth planet is opposite our current location in this solar system, so… not for at least one decimark. Can you manage until then?"_

Bra nodded, even though Raditz had no way of seeing it. _ "Yeah. I think so."_ Doing a quick calculation, she knew that, in Earth time, they wouldn't reach the planet for at least two hours. _"What about you?"_ she asked. _"Will you be alright until then?"_

_ "I'll be fine, so long as I don't lose the navigation feed from Nappa's pod."_

_ "You promise?"_ the halfling asked.

Raditz smiled. The concern in her voice made him feel fractionally better in such a dire situation. _"I promise."_

There were a few moments of silence that seemed to stretch forever before Bra's timid voice came over Raditz's scouter. _"Raditz?"_

_ "Yes?"_

_ "I'm really scared."_

_ "I know, Love. I know."_

Raditz _did _know. He, too, was scared. Terrified. He thought that he had known fear before. But he'd never felt so frightened as he did now. There stood a very good chance that one or more of them wouldn't survive the journey to their emergency landing destination. With his galactic positioning system (or GPS) down, his pod was at a higher risk of failure.

Raditz had never before considered the possibility of dying en route to a planet. He had always assumed that he'd either die in battle or die by Frieza's hands. He was accustomed to both of those possibilities, having lived with them for most of his life, and while they always nagged the back of his mind, he wasn't afraid of either outcome. But a slow and agonizing death in the midst of space? Asphyxiation. Freezing in temperatures of absolute zero. And burning to a crisp by solar radiation. All of these, and probably more, experienced simultaneously until taken by death's merciful grasp. That was not how Raditz hoped to die.

A more sickening thought was if Bra should succumb to such a fate. Raditz couldn't handle the idea. As much as such a horrific death was to imagine, he'd rather be the one to suffer it if it meant sparing Bra from the same. He kept these dire thoughts to himself. There was no need to terrify his already frightened charge.

Raditz wished to take his mind off of the current situation and hoped to do the same for Bra by resuming their conversation and switching topics. _"Bulla?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_ "Tell me something about your home world."_

Bra was silent. Raditz took this to mean that she was refusing.

A little annoyed, Raditz urged, _"Come now, Bulla. I have told you a lot about myself. And you have told me almost nothing about you. It's hardly fair, don't you think? I'm not asking that you tell me who your parents are or where you're from, because I know that those are secrets you're determined to keep safe. But you could at least tell me what your life was like where you call home."_

Bra still hesitated. _"I know…"_ she replied. _"Um… I'm just not sure what to say…"_

_ "Say anything you desire. I will cherish whatever it is that you feel is worthy of my audience."_

Bra blushed. To herself, she thought, _Raditz certainly has a way with words when he wants to make a girl swoon._ It was for this reason, this disarming of Bra's defenses, that Raditz got his wish.

_"Well…"_ the blunette began. _"I guess the first thing that comes to mind was that the day I was sent away from my planet was my fifteenth birthday."_

_ "Fifteen, eh?"_

_ "Yeah."_

_ "The day when a saiyan cub reaches adulthood. Congratulations."_

Bra furrowed her eyebrows. _"Uh, thanks, I guess. It's been like… half a year since then…"_ She hadn't really thought about how much time had passed since her arrival in the so much time in status really alters one's perception of time. After a quick calculation, she noted that she had about ten months remaining if she was going to get back to Earth and use the dragonballs soon enough so that they'd be recharged a year later when Raditz would arrive on said planet. She'd wasted almost half of her time already, gallivanting around the galaxy. She was both irritated and fretful from this knowledge, that time was quickly running out.

_"Bulla?"_ Raditz asked her, feeling the teen's shifting emotions.

Bra filed away her thoughts about her deadline to deal with later. She continued her anecdote. _"Anyway. My _**Momma**_… my _mother_… she was gonna take me to this thing we call a _**beauty spa**_ after I finished with school for the day."_

_ "What is a _**bee-yu-tee-suh-pa**_?"_ asked Raditz.

The teenager grinned at her suitor's butchering of her native tongue. _"It's a place where people go to get pampered and feel rejuvenated."_

_ "An odd use of resources…"_ Raditz commented.

Bra smile wryly. _"I suppose it is. But people pay for such treatments, so I guess it'd be silly not to pursue a lucrative service. Whatever… After that, _**Momma**_ had a huge party planned for me. She does that a lot. Throwing parties for any reason she can think of. Birthdays are always a huge ordeal. I think she learned it from my _**Grammy**_… my mother's mother, that is. _**Grammy**_loves when people come over to visit, so she used to always plan big events. But she's getting pretty old and can't really do it so much anymore, so that's why _**Momma**_ does it now. And when _**Momma**_ gets too old to do it, it'll probably be me who will uphold the tradition because I doubt my brother will."_

_ "Why not?"_

Bra scoffed. _"Trunks? Throw a party? Yeah right. He doesn't mind attending them, but he runs away the moment _**Momma**_ starts to even suggest that he help her plan one."_

_ "__**Tuh-rung-kuh-s**__?"_

The teenager was momentarily confused. _"Huh?"_

Raditz repeated, _"_**Turungkus**._ Is that how it's pronounced?"_

Bra realized her error. She'd gotten so caught up talking about her family that she accidently let Trunks's name slip into her story. _"Please forget I said that."_

_ "It's okay, Bulla. I won't reveal to anyone that your brother's name is _**Turungkus**_."_

Bra laughed at the mispronunciation. _"It's _Trunks_, actually. But I like how it sounds when you say it. I'll have to remember it."_

_ "I'm glad you find me amusing,"_ Raditz said wryly, but Bra could hear the smile in his voice.

There was another moment of silence, each suddenly withdrawing into their own thoughts. Having talked a bit about her kin, Bra got to thinking very heavily about home. She became very melancholy. _"I miss my family,"_ she muttered sadly.

_"I understand how you feel,"_ Raditz answered. _"I miss mine as well."_

_"How do you live with it?"_ Bra asked. _"How do you keep going, knowing that they're gone?"_

Raditz was quiet while he formulated a way to answer. Finally, he said, _"It's sad to say, but I suppose I'm able to deal with it a little too easily. I didn't have my family as long as you had yours. _

_ "My father was gone a lot when I was a little one, so he and I weren't very close. But I had heard many stories about him – how he became the first third class saiyan to defy the ranking system by taking impossible missions and growing so much stronger than anyone would have given him credit for. I admired him and it was my desire to grow strong like him that led me to decide to become a purger._

_ "My mother, on the other hand, shared a very close bond with me during the first few years of my life. She was unlike most saiyans in that she was very open with her emotions. She was a very sentimental woman. She loved my father very much and she loved to dote on me. While we didn't have much compared to other saiyan families, she always made sure to bring something home for me when she got paid at the end of each fortnight._

_ "My last memory of my mother, before I was sent away to purge my first planet, was when she was growing very close to the date when she was expected to birth my little brother. Sadly, Planet Vegeta was destroyed right around the time my brother would have been born. I don't know if Kakarot had even breathed his first breath before he and my mother were killed. My father, too, was on Planet Vegeta at the time of its destruction. _

_ "I suppose that, if anything, I am filled with regret for having never really known my family, especially my brother who I've never met. I try to cope with their losses by imagining them in Viradisia, living together happily, as they were meant to be. And I know that one day, when my time comes, I will be reunited with them."_

Bra was very deeply touched by Raditz's words. She found comfort in them and couldn't help but say, very cryptically, _"I believe that will come true for you one day – you'll get to see your parents again and meet your brother for the first time."_

What Bra didn't say – _couldn't_ say – was that Raditz would be reunited with his brother in life very shortly before his death and his likely reunion with his parents in the afterlife. She knew that she could safely say what little she had said without rousing suspicion. Everyone died, after all. And she had worded her statement in such a way that it implied she had hope for Raditz's dream to come true rather than her certain knowledge of the fact that it was soon to be fulfilled.

Bra was mildly surprised, however, that Raditz was not aware that Goku – Kakarot – had survived Planet Vegeta's downfall. She wondered if she should say anything to Raditz about it. She knew that Raditz would _have_ to eventually learn that Goku was still alive. But if she told Raditz now, would she skew the timeline of events? Would he go off in search of Goku prematurely because of her meddling? Bra decided it was best to wait. Raditz would discover this fact when the time was right.

_"Thank you, Bulla,"_ Raditz said, bringing the girl back to the present. _"I'm glad you think so, too."_

Bra smiled. _"No. I should thank _you_, Raditz. You've given me hope that I'll be reunited with my family again one day, too."_

_ "And I believe that you will be, one day, a long time from now."_

_Not if I can help it,_ Bra thought. If she could bring her plans to fruition, she'd be seeing her family much sooner – after she wished them back to life, of course.

* * *

A few hours later, the quartet of space pods approached their emergency landing destination. Relief washed over Bra as she watched the planet quickly draw near. But she knew that they weren't safe yet – the most difficult part of their journey was about to begin. With damage to all four of their ships, landing would be exceptionally challenging. Bra braced herself. The landing process was much rougher than any she had previously experienced. The outer hull damage altered the physics of the landing process, making for a shaky, bumpy entry into the planet's atmosphere. Fortunately, she and her three saiyan companions arrived on the isolated planet without any additional complications.

Bra exited her pod and was immediately slammed by the inhospitable environment. Heavy, acrid air and a hot wind that blew around dirt and debris. The sky was overcast with thick, sickly, yellowish clouds, blotting out the sun from horizon to horizon. In the immediate vicinity, there was no vegetation, no animal life, and no water. The silhouette of a city sat bleak and silent on the distant horizon. The atmosphere had an odd feeling to it, one that Bra couldn't exactly place. This planet made her feel sick.

The blue-haired girl elevated out of the crater created by her pod. Very close by, she saw the three craters that marked the landing points of her comrades. With her ki sense, she found that Vegeta and Nappa were still in each of their pods. But Raditz was headed in her direction. She turned to face him and waited for him to greet her.

"Bulla!" the long-haired man exclaimed as he grasped her reassuringly by her shoulders. "I'm glad you're okay."

Before Bra could respond, Raditz planted his nose on top of her head and drew in a deep breath. The girl recognized this behavior as something her daddy did to her from time to time. Whenever she was feeling unwell or if her daddy suspected that she was injured, he would sniff her scalp to determine the state of her wellbeing. The act was also a comfort mechanism – for both parties. For the ill or injured one, it was the reassurance of being in the company of someone who would ensure care and safety. For the other, this eased the anxiety caused by his or her concern.

But the teenager wasn't sure how she felt about Raditz sniffing her like so. Having experienced this type of behavior enough times from her daddy, she understood that it was something that was done between two individuals who were very close, either between kin… or between mates. So while being in this familiar embrace made her feel at ease and reminded her of home, she also felt a little uncomfortable. That Raditz would use such an intimate action with her reasserted his intentions of becoming her mate.

Reluctantly and gently, Bra withdrew from Raditz. Truthfully, she said, "I'm glad you're alright, too."

Raditz gave her a brilliant smile, one that made his dangerous looking canines appear incredibly attractive. But before he could say anything, their reunion was interrupted by a dull thudding sound. He and Bra looked over towards Nappa's pod in search of the cause or source of the disturbance. After a couple more of these thuds, the door to Nappa's pod whipped open and smashed into the ground with a mighty slam. The giant's foot was extended from the pod's doorway. Obviously, he had kicked his way out of his pod.

Bra and Raditz flew over to Nappa's pod as he emerged from the vessel, muttering curses in saiyashi. "…piece of shit, fucking hunk of metal, damn thing… pissing me off…"

Bra shook her head disapprovingly as she and Raditz gently landed on the ground a few feet away from the tumultuous saiyan. "Was that _really_ necessary?" she scolded.

_"Don't rile him up, Bulla,"_ Raditz warned her telepathically. _"Remember our discussion about this?"_

_ "Yeah, yeah,"_ she answered. _"Sorry."_

Nappa glared at the girl. Replying in galactic standard, he snapped, "Fucking thing wouldn't open! So, yeah! It _was_ necessary!"

Bra sighed and stepped closer to the pod, inspecting the damage to the pod door latch and release mechanism. "Looks like the door was fine until you decided to get all smash-happy with it," she noted.

"My _tail_ that there was nothing wrong with it," the mustachioed man argued.

The blunette rolled her eyes. "I'm not saying that it wasn't malfunctioning. If you'd let me finish, I was about to say that the issue isn't mechanical. The circuitry is probably fried. We might have been able to get you out of there without causing more damage to your pod."

"Wench, do you even realize how small the inside of one of those pods are? Do you think someone as large as I am wouldn't mind sitting inside longer than necessary while waiting for someone else to _delicately_ open the door?"

Bra grimaced. _I guess he has a point,_ she conceded.

"Besides," Nappa added. "It's not like replacement pods won't be sent. Our pods sent out a distress signal the moment we flew into that space shit. I won't be needing this scrap of metal any longer."

The teenager held her hands up in surrender. "Alright, fine. I guess you're right. It doesn't really matter."

Changing the subject, Raditz asked, "Shall we check on Prince Vegeta? His pod took the worst damage…"

Nappa, having been reminded by the peril his prince had been in over the course of the past few hours, immediately took to the sky and headed towards the final pod. Bra was quickly behind him – _too_ quickly, in Raditz's opinion. He understood very well why Nappa was so concerned for the prince – ensuring Vegeta's safety was the king's last instruction given to Nappa before their planet was destroyed. What Raditz didn't understand was why Bra was suddenly so worried about the prince. Grumbling, the third class saiyan followed his counterparts, taking up the rear as they all landed in front of Vegeta's pod. The prince was busy removing the last of the back-up life support devices. He climbed out of his ship when he was done.

"Glad to see everyone survived," Vegeta greeted with little enthusiasm. "Has anyone attempted to contact the nearest PTO base to confirm our status?"

Stunned expressions of guilt on the men's faces and a bewildered look on Bra's face told Vegeta that none of them had. "Idiots," he muttered under his breath in saiyashi. Turning away from the trio, he pressed the communication button on his scouter and attempted a transmission. "Frieza Planet 102, this is Prince Vegeta of purge squad 3744. Sending confirmation of four distress signals and requesting four replacement vessels. Respond."

There were several moments of silence as Vegeta waited for a technician to answer. Bra, Raditz, and Nappa were quiet, keeping their eyes on the prince's back. Turned away from them, Vegeta gave them little clue what was being said on the other end of the transmission. Not even his posture gave anything away. All three were eager to hear the reassuring words of their impending rescue.

Of the three, Bra was most worried. The other two might have encountered such situations before, situations where they've had to rely upon a replacement pod being sent. But she'd never experienced this sort of thing before. She feared that they would be trapped on this miserable looking world, cut off from the rest of the universe.

Raditz felt her trepidation and sent waves of comfort to her through the bond. _"Don't worry. Help will arrive. It may take a while, but the PTO won't abandon us here."_

_ "I hope you're right,"_ Bra answered. But Raditz's comfort seemed to ease her mind enough to think rationally. They simply _had_ to get off of this planet somehow. If not, then how would any of the three saiyans ever find their ways to Earth? And how would she even come to exist if her parents never met? On the other hand, her presence in the past might have altered events enough that their ability to leave this planet might not be a sure thing…

Her thoughts were interrupted when Vegeta repeated his transmission. "Frieza Planet 102. This is Prince Vegeta. I am confirming the distress signals from my squads' pods. We are in need of four replacement pods. Respond."

Again, there was a long silence. This only caused Bra's anxiety to flare up again. When Vegeta sent a third request, Nappa and Raditz, too, began to look nervous. _There's something wrong,_ Bra knew. She activated the communication function on her scouter and began sweeping all the wavelengths. When she heard nothing, she removed the device to double check that it was functioning properly. It was. She searched all the frequencies again, and heard only silence.

"We can't send or receive transmissions," Bra mumbled out loud as soon as she realized the problem. "It's gotta be the atmosphere." Her gaze rose to the sickly yellow sky. "It's gotta be blocking all transmissions from coming or going…"

"You're sure about that?" Raditz asked.

Bra nodded. "It's gotta be. There's no other explanation. The scouters are working just fine."

Vegeta heard the girl's assessment but didn't want to believe it. He continued to monitor all the frequencies, straining to hear even the slightest noise, willing someone on the other end to answer him. He heard nothing but complete silence through the scouter. He gritted his teeth in anger and frustration. This was absolutely the last thing he needed right now. Being behind schedule due to what he perceived as Raditz's incompetence, he did _not_ need to be delayed further because of the damage inflicted upon not one, or two, or three, but _all four_ of their pods. Vegeta could imagine how Frieza would react. _"What's the matter, my little pet monkey?"_ he would say. _"Can't handle purging a few measly planets? And what have you done to my pods, hmm? I can't give _anything_ to you mindless apes without you breaking them, can I?"_

The thought elicited a deep growl from the prince's throat. "Piece of fucking shit!" he screamed as he ripped his scouter away from his face and launched it into the air. The three onlookers watched dubiously as the device disappeared into the distance.

After giving Vegeta a few moments to settle his rage, Nappa dared to ask, "What now?"

The prince took an additional moment to settle his nerves. When he finally turned to face his subordinates, he said, "Obviously we cannot confirm our situation with the PTO. We can _assume_ that the distress signals from our pods were received, but we cannot be certain of that, nor can we be certain that they've been responded to. And since our scouters are unable to transmit beyond the atmosphere of this planet, it's reasonable to assume that the distress signals are no longer being received as well. At best, four pods are already on their way and will arrive in roughly twenty to twenty-five galactic days…"

"And at worst?" Bra asked timidly.

"At worst… The technicians stationed on the nearest PTO outpost – Frieza Planet 102 – have dismissed our distress signals, assuming them to be glitches when they didn't receive audio confirmation of our need for a rescue and, furthermore, when the pods' distress signals became – presumably – interrupted by this planet's atmosphere."

"So, we're stuck here, is what you're saying," Bra deadpanned.

Vegeta didn't like the attitude in the girl's voice, but answered, "For now, at the very least. Yes. We won't know for certain for several days. In the mean time, we must prepare ourselves for the duration. We will go to the nearest city and establish contact with the natives of this world. There, we will requisition supplies – food, water, and shelter. If the intelligent life on this planet has developed space travel, then we will acquire a new vessel from them in the event that the PTO has failed to send us new pods."

"And if they haven't?" Bra inquired.

The blunette wanted the reassurance that there was a plan in place should a rescue mission fail to develop. Being on this world, she still didn't feel quite right. There was definitely something very wrong. It felt so…sickly. Eerie. She felt nauseated. Her skin crawled. She didn't like this place and she wanted to be off of this world as soon as possible. Despite the uneasiness the girl felt about this planet, she was glad to have someone like her father leading them through this tough situation.

In response to the teenager's question, Vegeta gave her a stern look that told her to stop asking so many questions. In truth, the prince didn't have an answer for her. He was _acting_ as if he knew what he was doing, as if he was following some sort of protocol, but this was merely a front in order to keep his squad at ease. Having the girl question his orders only poked holes in his façade of control over the situation.

So instead of answering Bra, Vegeta skirted the question by repeating his orders, "We are going into that city and we are going to make contact with the natives in order to obtain supplies. Am I clear?"

Bra was a little bit taken aback by the prince's barely restrained temper. "Yes," she answered.

The girl's gaze shifted from her father to the city waiting patiently for them on the horizon. She liked the vibe from the city even less than she liked being out in the middle of this hostile landscape. She flexed her ki sense, stretching it out until it encompassed the metropolis. The city felt eerily quiet. Bra should have felt the hum of thousands of life sources from the city, but she couldn't. She could only detect the almost imperceptible energies of lesser organisms such as insects and simple plants. This didn't mean that the city was vacant. There might have been things in place preventing her from sensing the city's inhabitants. But she listened to her instincts which told her that the city was empty.

Bra withdrew her ki sense and asked, "What makes you so certain that there's anyone here to make contact with?"

Nappa scolded, "Wench, are you as blind as you are stupid?" He pointed at the distant city. "What the fuck do you think _that_ is, huh? Decoration? Of course there's people here! That city didn't build itself you know!"

Having checked his scouter for signs of life, Raditz chimed in on Bra's behalf. "Bulla is right to be concerned. There aren't any energy signals coming from that city."

Surprised by this newest development, Vegeta barked, "Nappa, check your scouter. Verify Raditz's claim." While the giant fiddled with his scouter, the prince quietly cursed himself for having thrown his own scouter during his fit of rage.

When Nappa read the readings on his scouter, or lack thereof, he said, "Not a single energy source." He shrugged off his astonishment. "No matter. If there isn't anyone around, then there won't be anyone to stop us from taking what we want."

Bra didn't like Nappa's flippant attitude concerning the absence of civilization in such a huge city. But she didn't voice this displeasure. Her thoughts were too occupied by the unsettling feeling she was experiencing. Instead, she wordlessly followed her saiyan companions when they elevated into the air and began to fly in the direction of the city.

Vegeta took the lead with Nappa quickly behind him. Raditz hung back a bit with Bra. As they drew nearer and nearer to the city, Bra felt worse and worse. Not only did she feel a pool of dread forming in her stomach, but she felt physically ill as well. So much so that she began to fall behind the others. Raditz immediately noticed.

"Are you feeling unwell?" he asked.

Bra managed to answer, "I don't know. There's something not right about this place. I kinda felt it as soon as I got out of my pod but…"

"But…?"

"But… It seems to be getting worse as we go towards the city. Can't you feel it too?"

"I'm not certain. What is it that you're feeling?" Raditz asked.

Bra struggled to describe it. "It's like… it just feels wrong. Like this place is sickly, or toxic. Like we shouldn't be here cuz it will make us sick."

Raditz concentrated on observing their surroundings. Bra helped him understand what she was experiencing by opening up their link and showing him through their bond. After a very brief moment, he _did_ feel it. He felt as if there was a lot of weight on him, an oppressive sensation like the atmosphere itself was pushing down on him. The thick, hot air exacerbated the feeling. And there was an odd odor that grew stronger as they approached the city. But Raditz wasn't feeling ill like Bra was. Whatever it was they were sensing, it wasn't irritating him at all. Nor did it seem like it was troubling the other two saiyans. If Bra hadn't mentioned the sensations she was experiencing, Raditz surmised that he would have never noticed anything was off.

"I think I can sense what you're feeling," the long-haired man said. "But whatever it is, it's not having much of an effect on me or the others. Are you sure that the source of this sensation is the cause of your ailment?"

Bra slowed to a stop. They were just on the outskirts of the city. "I can't go any further. I feel like I'm going to be sick." Telepathically, she added, _"I think it might be because I'm only _half _saiyan. I can sense it because of my saiyan abilities, but my hu—the other half of my genetics leaves me extremely vulnerable to whatever is here."_

Raditz put a comforting hand on her upper back, guiding her. "Then let's get you away from this place."

Up ahead, Vegeta happened to glance behind him and noticed that two of his squad had suddenly fallen behind. Wordlessly and suddenly, he stopped. Nappa almost flew into him, but averted his trajectory quickly enough to avoid the collision.

"Hey, Vegeta. What gives?" the bald man asked.

Vegeta's scathing eyes were glued on the teen and her suitor for several moments before finally settling on Nappa's form. "Raditz and the girl have fallen behind," he growled. "Or had you not noticed?"

Nappa turned to look behind him. "Want me to go get them?"

Vegeta didn't answer immediately. His eyes darted from the couple, down towards the city beneath him, and back up again. Through the squad bond he shared with Raditz, he could infer that there was something about the city that was holding them back. Whatever the issue was, the prince wasn't certain. Ever since that girl had come into their company, Raditz had been blocking most of his thoughts, and since then, Vegeta could only get vague snippets of information from the third-class saiyan.

"No," Vegeta answered. "I'd like to learn for myself what those two are up to."

Nappa grinned mischievously. He, too, was curious.

Raditz hadn't moved Bra away from the city by more than an inch before Nappa phased in front of the pair. "Where do ya think you're going?"

Raditz gritted his teeth and glared at his superior. He tucked Bra protectively against his side as he growled, "Bulla isn't feeling well. I'm taking her back to her pod."

"On whose orders?" the giant demanded. "I don't recall Prince Vegeta giving you permission to do so. I believe he said that all of us were to search for supplies."

Raditz continued to glare at Nappa, but he had nothing to say to refute the bald man. He didn't want to deal with the older saiyan's aggravating behavior. He knew that Bra was feeling extremely ill. Though Bra was doing her best to prevent the sensation of her symptoms from leaking through the bond she shared with Raditz, she was unable to stop all of it from seeping through. Feeling the phantom nausea and headache, Raditz wanted to get her away from the empty city as quickly as possible. Considering that there were very few things Raditz could do for the girl because she was so much stronger than himself, caring for her while she was unwell was something he _could_ do and he was determined not to fail her in her time of need. That Nappa would be an obstacle infuriated the long-haired man.

"Out of my way, Nappa," Raditz growled. "Or I'll…"

"Or you'll do _what_, exactly?" the giant taunted. "I suggest that you let the wench find her own way back to her pod and do as the prince commanded."

Raditz opened his mouth to protest when Bra's weak voice interrupted them. "Don't go. It's too dangerous."

Nappa cocked his head sideways and gave the girl a puzzled look. "What could possibly be too dangerous for us to handle?" he demanded. "Is this some sort of trick you're trying to pull?"

"No. I'm not," Bra muttered. "The city… it's toxic."

Nappa looked up at Raditz. "What the hell is she babbling about?"

Having been listening to the banter from behind Raditz, Vegeta finally decided to enter the conversation. "I believe the girl."

Nappa was stunned. "A-are you sure she can be trusted, Vegeta? What if she's trying to deceive us? What if she's trying to hide something from us?"

Vegeta barely seemed to be paying attention to his general. Instead, his eyes were surveying the city. Vacantly, he said, "The girl isn't faking her symptoms…" He couldn't be certain, but there was something about the city and its effect on the girl that made him wary.

The mustachioed man grimaced. "So what does that have to do with _us_? Leave her behind if she's too sick to keep going! It's not our problem is she's too weak to go into an empty city!"

"Didn't you hear what she said?" Raditz snapped. "She said it's too dangerous for us to go in there! She's convinced that whatever is doing this to her will bring harm to us as well. We should listen to her."

Nappa was incredulous. "Have you forgotten who we are?" he queried. "We're saiyans! _She_ may be sick, but _we're_ not! Y'know why? 'Cause no pathetic little illness is a threat to us saiyans!"

Bra shook her head. "That's not true. Being a saiyan won't protect you from this city." Her own saiyan immunities weren't helping her, after all.

"Don't try to fool me with your lies, you little bitch!" the bald man barked.

"That's enough, Nappa," Vegeta ordered. "If the girl insists that the city is too dangerous, then we will search elsewhere for supplies."

The giant was again stunned by his prince's words. "You're willing to trust her, Vegeta? What if she's lying to us?"

Vegeta was growing impatient with his general. "The girl is too frail to muster the energy to attempt to deceive us, Nappa. Aside from that, I've come to the conclusion that her illness is due to her exposure to the radiation this city is giving off."

Bra's eyes widened in shock. Her father's explanation was right on the money. She now recognized everything she had been feeling ever since landing upon this world. She had experienced these sensations before, although they were far less severe than they were now. She recalled an incident when she was about ten years old when she wanted to explore a small, abandoned town bordering Diablo Desert. Having taken Pan with her, the two girls felt that something was odd about the town, but ignored their instincts to leave. After a few hours, they began to feel sick and decided it was time to return to their respective homes.

As it turned out, the town had been abandoned for a reason. Over fifteen years prior to the girls' visit, a large shipping truck containing radioactive waste had been involved in an accident along the main thoroughfare through the town. Several of the containers on the trailer had broken open during that accident. The contents had spilled all over the area and seeped into the ground water. The land was still too poisonous for people to live on it.

Fortunately, Bra and Pan had received very low doses of radiation. Their saiyan DNA had protected them, but they weren't completely immune to the effects. It was also because of their saiyan DNA that, once they were no longer being exposed to the toxins, they had quickly recovered from their foolish venture. It was because of this experience that Bra had recognized the danger of the city she now hovered over, even though she didn't immediately make the connection between what she was sensing now and that prior experience.

The teenager looked down upon the city and gave it a long and hard examination, comparing it to the abandoned town she had visited in her childhood. The town from her memories had looked like it had fallen peacefully asleep one day, never to waken again. It was an untouched and slowly degrading replica of an era gone by.

But this city was the exact opposite. This city was a decimated and destroyed version of its former glory. Buildings were collapsed or toppled over. Some had burned, leaving only the skeletal framework behind. Soot and debris were everywhere. The visual evidence suggested that this city had not suffered an unfortunate radiation leak like the town Bra had explored as a child. On the contrary, this city had been the victim of a series of massive bombings.

Bra was horrified to realize that she was looking down upon the gravesite of likely millions of people. She couldn't imagine what they could have done to deserve such a terrible fate. Nor could she imagine the chain of events that had led to such an outcome. As these thoughts ran through her mind, another concern plagued her. _Why could I feel the radiation from this city from so many miles away?_ she wondered. _Was it hit with so many bombs and so much radiation that it's effects can be felt so far away? How far from the city has been impacted by what happened here?_

Bra closed her eyes and began to concentrate. She pushed her ki sense outwards, using all the energy she could muster to do so. Weak from her exposure, she wrapped her arms around Raditz's neck and used him to support her. The long-haired saiyan didn't mind in the least. In fact, he was quite pleased that the girl was leaning into him so much. He enjoyed the feel of her body against his and he wrapped his arms tighter around her, lending his strength to her.

_"Are you okay, Bulla?"_ Raditz asked.

Bra broke her concentration long enough to answer him. _"Yeah. Just resting."_

_"Liar,"_ the third-class accused teasingly.

_"Yeah, you're right. I'm just… thinking…"_ the blunette half-admitted.

Bra focused her ki sense again, stretching it outwards as far as she could push it. She concealed what she was doing from Raditz by hiding behind several mental barriers. She couldn't let him know about this ability prematurely for fear of how this knowledge could alter future events, especially when these saiyans traveled to Earth. As soon as she had retreated behind her barriers, she knew Raditz had grown suspicious, evidenced by his curious probing of said barriers. But she ignored him and flexed her ki sense even further.

The blue-haired girl strained from the exertion. She had rarely pushed this ability so hard before. Only on about half of a dozen occasions did she seek out ki sources more than several hundred miles away. And only once did she manage to stretch her ability to engulf the entire Earth. This planet they were currently on was slightly larger than her home world. She pushed further and further and further, struggling to wrap her senses around the entire globe. It was an extremely difficult feat on its own; in her weakened condition, it felt excruciatingly painful. Yet, she was determined to succeed.

Finally, Bra could feel the wisps of one edge of her ki sensing ability brush against the other as they met on the other side of the globe. When she did, she gasped and immediately released her mental projection. Her mind snapped back like a rubber band. She almost collapsed from both the exertion and the sudden release. Fortunately, Raditz held her securely against him. The was grateful for his strength. But it wasn't Bra's struggle that had elicited her shocked reaction. It was what she had discovered while seeking out any energy readings on the planet.

"There's no one here," Bra whispered in quiet shock.

"Of course there's no one here," Raditz said soothingly. "You said so yourself… No one is left in this city."

The teen pulled slightly away from the long-haired man so she could look into his eyes. "No," she corrected. "Not just the city. On this whole planet. They're all gone."

Raditz furrowed his eyebrows. "How can you be so certain?"

Bra shook her head and cast her eyes downward. "I can't really explain it. I just have this feeling that they're all gone."

Meanwhile, Vegeta had instructed Nappa to search for another city or other civilized location by searching for energy readings on his scouter. The giant was having little luck and the prince was growing very impatient with his general's failure. When Vegeta heard Bra speaking quietly to Raditz, he grew suspicious.

"What are you two conspiring about?" Vegeta demanded.

Raditz supplied, "Bulla believes that the entire planet is deserted."

"Oh?" the prince cooed. "And what makes her believe that?"

Bra answered, "I just _know_, okay? The whole planet is poisonous. The people who once lived here – they're all dead. Even those who ordered the bombings on cities like this one. They might have won whatever war was fought on this world, but in the end, they died as well." There was a moment of silence before the girl added, "We can't stay on this world for very long. Nevermind the twenty or so days you said it would take for new space pods to get here. With this much radiation, we have only a couple of days to stay here. Seven at the very most if we relocate somewhere far from any hot-spots and if we utilize the healing equipment in our pods every night while we sleep."

"Don't be ridiculous," Vegeta snapped. "The radiation can't have spread across this entire world. And even if it has, my men and I will survive it. We are saiyans. We can and will endure. _You_, on the other hand, don't look like you'll last longer than a day, given your current condition."

Bra shook her head, ready to argue. "Short term, the radiation will have no effect upon you, but if we dwell on this world for too long, you'll fall just as ill as I am. Saiyan you may be, but _I_ know that _you_ know that saiyans aren't impervious to _every_ ailment. It may take longer to do it, but this radiation will make you sick as well. Give it enough time, and it will kill you."

Vegeta clenched his fists as he listened to the girl's assessment. He hated that she saw right through his bluff – although he and his men were saiyan-born, their superior genetics would only protect them so much. And if what she was saying was true about how much time they had, then they would die on this world before they would ever be able to leave it. He refused to believe such a bleak diagnosis of their situation. He hadn't lived so many years under Frieza's slavery, hadn't survived the monster's wrath for so long, and hadn't suffered from the ice lizard's torment for nearly his entire life only to be snuffed out in such an insignificant and inglorious manner. _I am destined for greater things,_ he vowed. _I will be rid of the shackles Frieza has placed upon me. I will not die before knowing the taste of freedom once again!_

"And how do you suppose we get off of this toxic waste dump in only seven days when our pods are completely useless?" Vegeta growled.

"They'll have to be fixed," Bra answered bluntly.

The prince gave her a quizzical look. And then, suddenly, he broke out into a mad laughter. His inexplicable laughing fit went on for several minutes, causing his squad to grow very nervous. Bra, in particular, was extremely unsettled by Vegeta's bizarre behavior. She'd never seen her father act like so… loony before. She could deal with his temper. She could deal with his indifference. But she couldn't bear to see him act like he was about to lose his sanity.

Almost as quickly as Vegeta's laughter had come over him, it was over. Sobering almost immediately, he inquired, "And how do you suppose we fix our pods, hmmm? I'm sure that there are plenty of pod technicians and software engineers and the like on this planet just waiting around to be called upon for their expertise. Oh, that's right. You said there _isn't_ anyone here anymore. Unless, that is, Nappa has managed to locate anyone. Nappa?"

Suddenly finding himself in the prince's crosshairs, the giant was understandably nervous. "N-no, Prince Vegeta," he stuttered while checking the reading on his scouter again. "Nothing yet."

"So there you have it," Vegeta summarized smugly. "No techs, no engineers, no one. We are stuck here, alone, on this miserable rock. Fated to die long, slow, and painful deaths." Charging up a ball of ki in his hand, he said darkly, "I might as well do the three of you the favor of ending your miserable lives now before the sickness overtakes you. You should be thankful that I would be so kind to spare you from experiencing what would certainly be an excruciating death."

Bra gripped Raditz's uniform tighter as she listened to her father's tirade. Raditz held onto her even tighter, turning her away from the mad prince as if to protect her. Bra's wide, blue eyes remained fixed on Vegeta. She was completely disarmed by his aggressive, maniacal behavior. She thought she could handle her father's temper, but she now knew that she was mistaken. This was a different type of anger that she had never experienced coming from him before. This was a wrath that bordered on insanity.

"What do you say, _girl_? Do you want the mercy I have to offer you? Would you like the gift of a quick and painless death?" Vegeta taunted. "Or, by some miracle, can you conjure up the technicians we'll need to fix those pods?"

Bra's eyes were transfixed by the brightly glowing ball of energy in Vegeta's hand. His increasing ki and her weakened state brought fear to her heart. Her father actually had the potential to kill her in her current condition and there was nothing she could do to stop him. Except for one thing…

"I can fix them," the blunette blurted out.

Vegeta paused, uncertain if he had heard her correctly. "I'm sorry," he said venomously, "I don't believe I heard you correctly. Did you just claim that you have the ability to fix them?"

"Yes," Bra confirmed. "At least, I think I can. I'd have to have a look at them first to be certain. I think I might be able to repair them enough that they can take us to that nearby PTO base you were trying to contact earlier."

Nappa's skeptical laughter interjected the conversation. "Yeah right!" he scoffed. "How could a wench like you know how to repair a space pod? Didn't Raditz have to teach you how to fly the damn thing in the first place?"

Bra didn't like her knowledge being questioned, especially by a brute like Nappa. "I know a lot of things about interstellar flight and aerodynamics!" she insisted. "On my home planet, my grandfather and mother were the first and only two people to have ever designed and built space ships capable of traveling to other planets!"

Vegeta extinguished the ki ball in his hand, but he, too, was skeptical. "Well, that certainly qualifies your kin. But it doesn't say much for your own abilities."

Raditz came to the girl's defense, having seen examples of her intellect throughout their journey together. "Bulla is very intelligent. If she's confident that she can repair our pods, then I think we should let her try."

"Silence, third-class!" Vegeta ordered. "I want to hear from the girl why she thinks she's capable of performing such a feat."

In the spotlight, and feeling under pressure, Bra answered, "While my mother and grandfather designed and built their first space ships before I was even born, they've created several updated models throughout the years. Ever since I could pick up a _**wrench**_, I've been helping them with these upgrades. Over the years, they've been passing their knowledge on to me and my brother. These days, it's my brother who mostly does the design work on the newer models while I help with the construction and software writing."

Vegeta nodded. His boiling wrath had lessened to a simmer as the teenager gave her explanation. But he was not yet satisfied.

"I imagine that the types of technology used in the pods differ vastly from that which has been developed on your planet," the prince theorized. "So tell me how your knowledge could possibly be applied to the foreign technologies utilized in our pods."

But Bra couldn't give him that answer. _How could I possibly tell him that the technology in Pappy's first ship design was borrowed from Uncle Goku's original space pod?_ She had to rely upon an answer that was both vague yet irrefutable.

"The technology may be different…" the blunette answered, "…but math and physics are universal. The same laws of science that were applied to the space ships designed on my home world also apply to the space pods used by the PTO. All I need is a couple of _**hours**_ – a decimark or so – to become familiar with the differences in their designs and the rest should come naturally."

Vegeta didn't like that the girl was being evasive. But he allowed that to slide. She was likely their best and only hope for getting off of this world alive.

"Very well," the prince conceded. "We will return to the pods and the girl will begin her diagnostics."

Without wasting any time, the prince and his general flew away from the city, leaving Bra and Raditz alone.

"Do you really believe you can fix our pods?" the long-haired man questioned. "It's true that I _did_ have to teach you how to use our pods. Or was that a lie as well?"

"I'm sorry," Bra apologized. "I didn't really know you back then. I didn't know how much information about myself I could trust you with. So I feigned ignorance. I hid the truth because it stems back to my heritage which, if you remember, you didn't know at the time. Anyway… How do you think my father arrived on my home world? Because he had a space pod of his own. The space ships my family designed – the original models – were based on the technology learned from a PTO space pod. So, I'm actually _very_ familiar with the workings of our space pods, although there are bound to be some differences. Again, I'm sorry I kept this from you. But please forgive me. I know you a lot better now than I did then, enough so that I trust sharing this with you and not the others."

Raditz, admittedly, was a little upset having discovered yet another topic in which the girl had lied to him. Although irritated, he understood why she had done it. It didn't mean he liked that she had done it, however. The trust she now placed in him was consolatory, but it wasn't enough – not yet, anyway – to mitigate the feelings of hurt and betrayal. He knew he would forgive her. But not immediately. For now, he decided to drop the issue. Drawing it out wouldn't be productive to their current situation. He abruptly changed the subject.

"Are you strong enough to fly on your own?" the long-haired man inquired.

Bra made an attempt to see if she had enough energy to allow herself to remain levitated in the air. During the course of her conversation with the prince, she had come to rely completely upon Raditz to keep her afloat. When she carefully separated herself from the taller man's form, she found that she had too little energy. She immediately felt the pull of gravity on her body and quickly latched onto her companion once again. She felt embarrassed and humiliated that she had grown so weak, so quickly.

Raditz felt her frustration and shame. He sympathized with her, understanding the terrible wound that must have been inflicted to her pride at being unable to do something as simple as flight. It wasn't long ago that he had been afflicted in a similar way, one that had robbed him of his abilities and it was _she_ who had come to rescue _him_.

"Do not feel so defeated," Raditz said comfortingly despite his waning irritation with her deceit. "You will recover from this. For now, I will do what I can to help you."

A blush crept across Bra's face. She still wasn't used to having a male – one who wasn't related to her, that is – dote on her so heavily. It wasn't a bad feeling, not in the least. But it still left her feeling uncomfortable since she was uncertain how to respond to Raditz's devotion, especially since she knew that she couldn't indulge in it like she would have been wont to do had she been on Earth and under different circumstances. But if she wanted to make certain that the course of events to come played out as they should, then she couldn't reciprocate his affection.

Raditz could see that Bra was growing ever wearier due to her close proximity to the city and the radiation levels ebbing from it. "Let's get you away from this place," he said to her softly.

Bra nodded. "The others are probably at the pods already. They'll be wondering what's taking us so long."

Raditz grinned. "Yes. Let's not give them any wrong ideas."

The blunette smiled. "Especially Nappa."

Raditz scooped Bra up into his arms bridal style and flew back towards their ships. As they traveled, the girl could feel the oppressive weight slowly lift from her as the radiation levels diminished with distance. By the time they reached the pods, she felt considerably better, but not one hundred percent so. The nausea and dizziness she had been feeling had subsided. Her headache had waned, but was still present, and her limbs still felt a little weak. When the pair landed, Raditz lowered Bra to her feet with great care, despite the disapproving looks he received from the other two saiyans. The teen tested her returning strength as she attempted to stand on her own. She wobbled slightly, but found she was strong enough to remain on her feet.

"It's about time you got here," Vegeta growled after having watched, in silence, the disgusting display of concern his subordinate had for the girl. To Bra, he snarled, "For someone so insistent that time is of the essence, you certainly know how to waste it."

"Sorry," Bra snapped, unable to completely reign in the tone of a teenager's sass.

Fortunately, the prince hadn't picked up on the attitude in her tone. "I expect a full report within the next decimark. I want to know the extent of the damages, what you'll need to do to perform the repairs, and how long it will take you to make those repairs."

Bra was a little taken aback by Vegeta's lofty expectations. "I didn't say for certain that I'd be able to repair the pods. I said that I _might_ be able to fix them. I have to look at them first before I'd know for sure."

Vegeta took several steps towards the girl. "Then I suggest you start your inspection. And you better pray that you _can_ make the necessary repairs."

The animosity coming from the prince greatly unsettled Bra. The unspoken threat was not lost on her. Nor was she accustomed to it. She wasn't sure why there was a need for him to be so hostile towards her. She was going to do her best to get the pods fixed. Not just for their benefit, but for her own as well.

Bra turned towards the nearest pod – Nappa's – and paused. She suddenly realized how daunting the task before her was. She had very few tools with her. She had no workshop or lab to utilize. She had no spare parts on hand. And with three saiyans silently, yet studiously, watching her, she very much felt under pressure. Their survival was riding on her. _Shit…_ she cursed. _What have I gotten myself into? How am I supposed to pull this off? I don't even have anything with me that could give me an accurate diagnosis of each pod. If only I had been able to upgrade my smartwatch so that it could communicate with PTO software, then it wouldn't have been an issue. But without it…_

An idea came to the teen's mind. It was a long shot, but it was worth a try. She turned towards Vegeta and asked, "That holoscreen you carry with you… The one that has your mission instructions and such on it… Does it have any software applications installed on them that can be used to run a systems check on the pods' various program functions?"

The prince crossed his arms and gave the girl a look that told his suspicions of her. He didn't trust her with one of their holoscreens. The last time she had gotten her hands on one, she had not only discovered the document containing the daubeni contract proposal, but she had also accessed the mission objective for Planet Desra. As intelligent as she appeared to be thus far, he was wary of placing the device into her hands once again. On the other hand, if having a holoscreen would enable her to repair their pods, then he had no choice. However, it was not his own holoscreen that he would forfeit. He wouldn't place into her hands the sensitive and vital information stored on his own device.

"Nappa," Vegeta finally said, "Give the girl your holoscreen."

The giant wanted to part with his holoscreen about as much as Vegeta wanted to part with his, but for slightly different reasons. For one, he had a severe disliking for the girl. It was a matter of his still injured pride that caused his stubborn reaction. In addition, he trusted Bra less than Vegeta did. She had stolen Nappa's holoscreen from him on Planet Desra. Now, she was outright demanding it! He was so indignant about it that he couldn't stop himself from protesting.

"Why do I have to give her my holoscreen? I thought the wench said she could repair the pods. Can't she do it on her own?"

A warning growl came from Vegeta's throat. "I don't like to have my orders questioned, Nappa."

Petulantly, Nappa headed towards his pod to retrieve the device.

While they waited for his return, Raditz leaned in towards Bra and offered, "You may use my holoscreen instead, if you like."

Upon learning that Raditz had his own holoscreen, Bra gave him a look of feigned hurt while she playfully said, "You had a holoscreen with you this entire time… and you didn't share? I'm so upset…"

The long-haired saiyan gave the girl an uncertain look. He wasn't yet fully accustomed to her mannerisms and while he was fairly sure that she was only mocking her indignation, he felt that beneath the jest, she might truly be upset that he had withheld this information from her.

"I'm… sorry?" he said, unsure if the situation warranted an apology. "I did not believe that it was relevant."

Bra grinned. "Don't worry about it. I'm just kidding. Although… it would have been nice to tinker around with one while I waited for you to complete your missions."

Feeling a little relieved, Raditz asked, "Shall I retrieve my holoscreen for you then?"

"Sure. If you don't mind, that is. I don't want to make Nappa feel obligated to loan me his since he'd being such a big baby about it."

Vegeta had a different opinion. "You will use Nappa's holoscreen, girl. That is an order."

The blunette sighed. "Does it make a difference?"

_"Don't question him, Bulla,"_ Raditz warned. _"He's growing very agitated. Don't give him a reason to take his frustrations out on you."_

"It most certainly _does_ make a difference," the prince growled. "The difference is that I am in command of this squad and you are merely a subordinate. _I_ give the orders and _you_ follow them. If I order you to do something, then you do will do it. You don't need to know why I gave the order. All you need to know is that I have a reason for the order. Understand?"

Bra grimaced. Reluctantly, she mumbled, "Yeah, I guess," and turned away from him to watch Nappa return.

The giant thrust his holoscreen at Bra. "I hope you're happy, wench," he growled.

The blunette gave him a winning smile. "Why thank you so kindly, Nappa. It was so generous of you to loan me your precious holoscreen. I'll make certain to take extra special care of it."

Nappa growled through gritted teeth and tightened his fists. He couldn't believe the audacity of that blue-haired bitch! That she would speak to him so disrespectfully! He had half a mind to put her back in her place. If they had been on Planet Vegeta and she had given him such an attitude, she'd have been executed on the spot! It was a wonder to him that Prince Vegeta tolerated her insubordination. _Vegeta is only allowing her to get away with it because we need her,_ the giant reassured himself. _That's the only reason her tongue hasn't been ripped out yet. We need her to get off of this world._

Bra skirted around Nappa while he quietly seethed and headed towards his space pod. Raditz followed closely behind her, placing himself in a position to assist her should she require it. Only when the girl ducked inside of his ship did Nappa realize that she had trespassed into the tiny space he considered his and his alone.

"What the hell are ya doin' in there, ya stupid wench!" the bald man yelled.

From inside the pod, Bra called out, "Running a diagnostics. Duh!"

"I thought that you could do that with the holoscreen! What d'ya need to be inside my pod for?"

Vegeta interrupted. "Let the girl do her job, Nappa."

The giant harrumphed. "Fine. But I'm not going to give her access to my pod's computer."

"Don't need you to," Bra announced as her fingers danced over the computer terminal.

To Nappa's astonishment, Raditz's amazement, and Vegeta's satisfaction, the machine came to life as the teenager overrode the pod's security systems. She then began to tinker with the holoscreen, swiping and tapping on the blue, holographic display as she dove into the device's applications, searching for those that would suit her purpose. She found a program that could monitor the performance of other devices and, after a minor adjustment, she had rewritten it to identify errors in the software of other computers. The second application she located was one that allowed the holoscreen to communicate with PTO devices. This one didn't require her to make any changes. All she had to do was activate the program.

While Bra waited for the holoscreen to run a scan on all of the systems software in Nappa's pod, she took a moment to focus on her lingering headache. The ailment was dwindling, but she could tell that it wouldn't go down without a fight. The best theory she could come up with to explain her persistent symptoms was that she was still under the effects of the radiation. Even out in the middle of nowhere, the lethal toxins had left their touch on the environment. There was nowhere on this planet that was completely safe from its poisonous grip. She had been correct to worry about their safety on this world.

Bra closed her eyes and rubbed at her temples, hoping that it would alleviate the discomfort.

"Are you still feeling unwell?" Raditz asked, noticing her ministrations.

The teen opened her eyes and looked up at her suitor. "Eh… yeah. I'm fine. Just this headache that won't go away." She again closed her eyes.

Raditz nodded. He felt terrible that the girl was still feeling sick and that she was being put to work before she was well. He felt even worse that he could do nothing to help her. The medical treatments they had at their disposal were minimal. They had simple bandages and sutures, which were useless in her case. And there was the emergency healing system in each of their pods. Certainly the latter could help her, but she didn't need his assistance to utilize it. After all, she had already suggested using the pods' healing devices each night to undo the damage sustained from the radiation during each day. Even so, Raditz figured that Bra would experience her symptoms again every day they remained on that world, after every time she was re-exposed to the toxins. Her plight would not end until they escaped the planet and that thought pained him. If he could, he would trade places with her so that she wouldn't have to suffer.

"Yer not takin' a nap, are you, wench?" Nappa's gruff voice broke into the silence that had formed. "What's takin' so long?"

Bra opened her eyes and glared at the giant. "I'm waiting for the holoscreen to finish scanning your pod," she growled. Realizing that taking some time to try to mitigate her headache was useless, she climbed out of the ship to begin examining its exterior.

Nappa watched distrustfully as the girl studied the damage to the portal latch. He didn't like that his was the first pod she was inspecting. He didn't like her and he could safely say that the feeling was mutual. He knew that if the girl was going to sabotage any of their pods, his was the one she'd tamper with. He gritted his teeth disdainfully. _How cowardly!_ the bald man thought. _Only a gutless fiend would use such trickery to eliminate one's opponent!_ He vowed to keep a close eye on the teenager. Unfortunately, he knew too little about the pods to know for certain if she was doing anything devious.

Meanwhile, Bra's examination of the pod had moved onward to other areas. She located several places in the hull where space debris had caused damage. Most were dents and pock marks. But there were six places where the exterior hull had been penetrated. All of these blemishes however, including the superficial ones, would have to be repaired. Fortunately, everything else seemed to be intact. The fuel tank, engine, thrusters, interior hull, and computer hardware appeared to be unscathed. The only physical repairs were on the exterior hull, the latch on the door, and the burnt out wiring leading to the latch.

Inside the pod, the holoscreen chimed an alert to indicate that the systems scan was complete. Bra climbed back inside. She read the diagnosis quietly to herself. The three men watched and waited as her eyes ran down the list. As her silence lingered on, the anticipation began to drive Nappa crazy.

"Well?" the mustachioed man demanded.

Bra's eyes snapped to his, and for a second time she gave him an impatient glare. "Fairly good news," she announced. "Only a few repairs are needed to the pod itself – the exterior hull, the door latch, and the latch wiring… which was the true malfunction regarding that issue," she deliberately rubbed that in for good measure. "As for the software… the navigation, GPS, life support, healing and hibernation functions, landing procedure, impact and breach detection, computer processing, power and fuel regulation, and environmental control systems are all in working order. Only the launch procedure has to be reprogrammed for certain. The communication system is questionable. The diagnosis doesn't indicate any damage, but since we can't test it while we're on this planet, there's no knowing for certain. However, if it _is_ out of service, it's not a vital operation to the function of your pod."

Nappa didn't understand half of what came out of the blunette's mouth. But her optimistic tone clued him in. "So you're sayin' that you can fix it?"

For the first time, Bra flashed a winning smile towards the giant. In human common, she said, "Easy peasy." To clarify, she elaborated in galactic standard, "It'll be no problem. A few patch jobs on the hull, a new latch and wiring, and copying the launch program from one of the other pods to yours… and it will be good to go."

Nappa couldn't believe what he was hearing. He couldn't believe that it was as easy as the girl was making it sound. It was too good to be true. This only made his suspicion of her grow ever deeper. He was certain that she was omitting some detail or concealing something vital, something that would be the difference between a safe journey off of this world or his demise. But he had no proof of this. If she _was_ plotting something against him, there wasn't an ounce of indication from her that revealed that she was doing so.

Vegeta, on the other hand, was quite impressed. More than impressed. He realized that she had been very cautious – or modest – when she had explained her knowledge earlier. She knew much more about the pods than she had previously indicated. He didn't care how she had come to acquire such knowledge. The only thing he cared about was that her expertise would be their ticket off of this planet of death. If she could follow through and get all of their pods in working order, he just might consider making her a permanent member of his squad. With this in mind, he spared the girl an approving grin. Bra caught the glimpse of praise on her father's face and returned it with a small smile of her own. Raditz, however, had caught this exchange. He glowered at this subtle interaction as jealousy once again took root.

* * *

Just over an hour later, an exhausted and still ailing Bra was finishing the diagnosis on the final pod – Vegeta's. Like Nappa's ship, the prognosis on her pod and Raditz's had been promising. In addition to the exterior hull breaches, Bra's ship had a small puncture in her fuel tank. The hole had caused a slow leak and in addition to the repairs, a source of saline water would have to be located in order to refill the tank. Her pod had had no damage to any of the software. Raditz's pod had only suffered minor damage to the exterior hull, but his GPS and navigation system would have to be reinstalled.

As Bra read the results of the scan on Vegeta's pod, her stomach plummeted. She knew that things were going too well for them so far. The list of repairs for Vegeta's pod was staggering. As the lead ship, his had taken the most damage.

"Well?" the prince demanded impatiently.

Bra set the holoscreen aside and exited the pod before giving her father the troubling news. "Uh… it's not good," she slowly began. "The space debris ripped through your pod like it was wet paper. The exterior hull is so damaged that it ought to be completely replaced. But given that that's not really an option, we'll have to patch up pretty much the entire thing."

"Is that all?" Vegeta growled.

"Heh. I wish," the blue-haired girl said. "The computer hardware took a heavy hit as well. I was lucky that I was able to get a connection between the holoscreen and the computer in your pod and run a diagnosis. As far as the software… we already knew that the main life support system was shot. But you've also lost much of the computer processing capacities. The hibernation program is completely wiped. And the environmental controls are barely functional."

The prince narrowed his eyes at the girl. "So what are you saying?"

Bra took a deep breath and released it while shifting her gaze to the pod. "It's gonna be very difficult to make all the repairs, if at all. The software part will be no problem to reinstall, but the computer hardware will have to be replaced first and that's what has me concerned. There's no knowing if we'll be able to find suitable parts to replace those that are damaged. If we can't find what we need, then there's nothing I can do."

Nappa, who had been quiet during the girl's bleak verdict, could stand to be silent no longer. He _knew_ that she'd try to pull some sort of stunt, and there it was. He raged at her, "So you're saying that only _three_ of us will be able to leave this world while the fourth one stays here to die? What kind of incompetent bitch are you anyway? Do you really think that we'd let you sentence one of us to die? If any one of us has to stay on this rock, then I say it's _you_ who has to stay!"

Raditz jumped to Bra's defense. "What kind of gratitude is _that_!?" he demanded. "You'd leave her here to die after making sure the rest of us got off of this planet safely? If _any_ of us deserves to leave this place, it'll be Bulla!"

Nappa snarled at his subordinate. "Of course _you_ would think so! You've been so smitten with that bitch that you can't think straight any longer! She's got you by the balls and you don't even realize it! And the sad part is that you haven't even bedded her yet! But if you're so adamant to save your precious little moonbride, then I say you take her place!"

"What?" the third-class blurted.

"That's right!" the giant said smugly. "_You_ stay on this world! If you want to protect the bitch, then you stay here and die."

Bra had had enough. "Nobody's going to be left behind!" she screamed over the top of the arguing men. "What's wrong with you anyway!?" she yelled at Nappa. "How can you start making decisions like that one? Who made you the executioner? It's not up to you who lives and who dies!"

Nappa guffawed. "Last I checked, missy, that _is_ my job!"

The blunette was disgusted by the reference to his deplorable career. Unwilling to go down without a fight, she rebutted, "Oh, yeah? Well, how about I take the decision away from you? I _am_ the only one who knows how to fix the pods, after all. And if you're going to continue to be an ass, then I won't fix _any_ of the pods and we'll _all_ stay here and die!"

Outraged by the girl's audacity, the giant stammered and stuttered for several seconds. Finally, he spat, "You wouldn't dare!"

Bra folded her arms across her chest and smiled smugly, a pose that struck Nappa as alarmingly and inexplicably familiar. "Try me," the girl challenged.

Meanwhile, Vegeta silently, yet impatiently, listened to their bickering. His tolerance was slowly wearing thin and his temper was coming to a boil. It was clear that the likelihood of all four of them escaping this world was marginal, at best. One of them would have to be sacrificed. He'd be damned if he would be that sacrifice. If it came to it, if his pod couldn't be repaired, then he knew that he'd be the one who'd have to decide who would live and who would die. But listening to the three of them bicker made the prince's decision far too difficult. He could feel his rage escalating over their pettiness. It wasn't long before his loathing of their behavior made him want to abandon his duty to save any of them and, instead, tempted him to sentence all three of them to death.

Unable to tolerate their arguing and infuriated by the bleak outlook of their escape, Vegeta needed an outlet. And as his eyes landed on his busted up ship, he found an easy target for his rage. He raised his left hand – and his ki – towards his space pod. Feeling her father's energy suddenly spike, Bra broke off her argument midsentence and turned towards him.

Realizing that Vegeta was milliseconds away from blasting his own pod, Bra acted without thinking and put herself between the pod and the prince just as he fired upon the vessel. She deflected the blast away from the pod and the other saiyans, salvaging the ship. The sudden use of the little energy she had was extremely draining. As soon as her father's energy blast had been redirected, she felt herself grow dizzy and she nearly fell over from the exertion. Raditz came to her aid and caught her before she collapsed.

"Are you crazy?" the teen weakly demanded of her father.

Vegeta snarled at her, "Don't you presume that you have the authority to question my state of mind, _girl_."

Bra was a little bit taken aback by this statement. _What's that supposed to mean?_ she wondered.

_"Be careful, Bulla,"_ Raditz's warning voice entered her mind. _"Prince Vegeta isn't very tolerant when he's aggravated."_

_ "Yeah… I see that,"_ the blunette responded. Feeling how nervous Raditz was, and seeing how tense his posture had become, Bra explained to Vegeta in a calm voice, "What I meant to say is, 'Do you realize that destroying your pod will only make our situation worse?' If you blast it to tiny little bits, then there's absolutely no chance of fixing it."

"Obviously," the prince snarled. "That was my intention."

Unable to figure out why her father would condemn one of them to remain on this world by destroying his own ship, Bra shrugged it off and pleaded, "Look… I don't want anyone left behind. I certainly don't want it to be because I couldn't fix all the pods. The way I see it, it's all or nothing. But making sure we all get off this planet won't be easy. I'm gonna… I'm gonna need you guys to, like, help me with this, okay? So, please, I need you all to calm down. And, Nappa… I'm gonna need you to cooperate with me on this."

Nappa grumbled, "Like hell I'm goin' to help you."

Vegeta commanded, "Yes, you will, Nappa. Or _you_ can be the one who gets left behind, repaired pod or no."

The bald man growled his displeasure, but otherwise didn't argue.

Moving the conversation along, Raditz asked Vegeta, "What is our next plan of action then?"

The prince's eyes shifted from Raditz to the blunette secured in the third-class's arms. Something about seeing the two of them together like that displeased the prince. Unable to pinpoint the source for his disapproval, he blamed the feeling on Raditz's overt display of concern for the girl's welfare. It disgusted him that his subordinate would grow so smitten with a non-saiyan. He pushed the thought aside and considered his subordinate's question. In a moment of extreme rarity, he decided to put fate in someone else's hands.

"That is up for the girl to decide," Vegeta announced to everyone's surprise. "Since _she's_ the one who will be coordinating the repair process, I leave it up to her."

Bra was quite stunned that her father was placing full responsibility upon her. She had never quite been in such a position before. Always, her mother, father, brother, or grandfather had been there to lead her, guide her, and serve as a safety net should the possibility of failure threaten her. In this endeavor, she would be completely alone, and if she failed, their deaths would be on her shoulders. Despite being fully aware of this, the girl couldn't decline the position being offered to her. If she did, she'd lose all respect and credibility.

"Well," the blunette began, "Prince Vegeta's earlier plan was a rather sound one, except for the part about establishing contact with the natives, for obvious reasons. But we still need to find safe food, drinkable water, and somewhere far from the radioactive hot-spots to repair the pods."

"How are we supposed to find food and water if we can't go into any of the cities!" Nappa barked, re-entering the conversation.

Bra shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I'm sure there are plenty of places other than cities on this planet that were once inhabited. Places where small communities were established. Towns and villages too insignificant to have been a direct target. We should search for such a place. One that has, or is near, a manufacturing center."

"Why a manufacturing center?" asked Raditz.

The teen gave her suitor a smile. "For spare parts for the pods, of course!"

Vegeta nodded his approval. "Very well. We will start our search for such a place immediately."

* * *

**Story Notes:**  
_Garana Island_ – from _guarana_. Garana Island is not a canon location. The island is named for a fruit, in a similar fashion to the canon location Papaya Island.  
_Viradisia_ – from the words _viridian_ and _paradise_. This is, in my DBZ multiverse, where saiyans go in the afterlife.


	16. Lesson Sixteen

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Sixteen  
Be Assertive_

_ Being the daughter of two _very_ outspoken parents, most people find it hard to believe that I wasn't always as assertive as I had come to be in adulthood. As a child, I had learned to always do as I was told. Yes, occasionally I would try to be defiant, but with parents like mine, that rarely ended in my favor. So it was, by the time I was ten, I had become the type of child that was unable to tell someone 'no.' _

_ This behavior was no different even with my best friend Pan. Having become such a 'people pleaser,' I always agreed to do the things that Pan wanted to do despite my desire – or lack thereof – to actually do them. Don't get me wrong, Pan wasn't _forcing_ me to do anything against my will. Nor was she requesting me to do anything that was harmful or malicious. The problem was that our interests were growing apart and always doing the things that Pan wanted was starting me make me resentful. _

_ Of course, it was Daddy who noticed these feelings first, and it was him who got me to openly admit it. As the four of us – me, Daddy, Momma, and Trunks – were preparing to make a visit to see Uncle Goku and his family, Daddy confronted me about my closely guarded secret._

_ "Why don't you seem happy to see Kakarot's brood? Aren't you and his grand-spawn close allies?" he asked._

_ I sighed. "Yeah. Pan is my best friend…. But…"_

_ "'But' what?"_

_ "I don't know… I just don't have as much fun hanging out with her anymore."_

_ "Why not?"_

_ I felt silly admitting something that seemed so childish. "Because… she likes to do different things than I do. She's such a tomboy… camping, and fishing, and sparring…"_

_ "What's wrong with sparring?" Daddy demanded._

_ I wrinkled my nose. "I don't like sparring much, Daddy. Especially against Pan. She's a lot stronger than me and—"_

_ "What!?"_

_ I jumped slightly at the outrage in Daddy's voice. "I said, she's stronger than me…?"_

_ He sneered. "How is that possible? You are royalty! _She's_ just the spawn of a third-class clown! And she is only a quarter saiyan while you are one-half saiyan! You ought to be at least _twice_ her strength!"_

_ "Daddy…" I whined, trying to get him to focus on the issue. I could vaguely sense him trying to formulate ways to rectify what he perceived to be a huge blemish on his pride. "The point is… we always do the things _she_ wants to do and I'm tired of doing all these _boy_ things!"_

_ Daddy pondered. "I suppose you've made suggestions of your own?"_

_ "Yeah, once in a while. But she always says we can do them later and we never do."_

_ "Then you need to be more adamant."_

_ I gave him a curious look. "What do you mean?"_

_ "You need to stand your ground. Be firm with her. You tell her that you'll have an equal voice when the two of you make decisions. Don't let her always have her way. Tell her that on some days, the two of you will start your visits doing the things _you_ suggest."_

_ "But… what if she doesn't want to do the things I say? What if she doesn't want to hang out with me anymore because I won't do the things she wants to do?"_

_ "If that's the choice she makes, then what does that say about how she values the alliance she shares with you?" Daddy queried._

_ I grimaced. "But Pan is my best friend. She's the only other girl like me in the entire world. I don't want to stop being friends with her."_

_ "And do you believe that caving in to her whims is the only way to ensure her friendship?"_

_ Hearing Daddy lay out the truth made me feel foolish, but that's _exactly_ what I had been doing over the years. "No. I guess not."_

_ He added, "If you don't acquire the ability to voice your opinions and ideas with your allies, how do you expect to be able to do so with your future adversaries? I know your mother has it set in her mind that you will co-inherit her father's company – where you will undoubtedly face competition, internally and externally. If you are too weak-willed to express yourself, then how do you expect to gain anyone's respect?"_

_ I was quiet and pensive as I pondered the rhetorical question._

_ Daddy encouraged me by saying, "I think that if you find the courage to be assertive, you will discover that Kakarot's grand-spawn will oblige you and your fears will be for naught."_

_ I was skeptical. "You really think so?"_

_ "I _know_ so." And then Daddy said, "Just remember who you are. You are the princess of all saiyans. There will never be a time or place that requires you to bend to another's whim, especially not at your expense. You have the strength and the courage to make your own decisions. Never forget that."_

_~ from The Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Age 759, Fourth Galactic Quarter, Day 89 (Approx. 21 December, 759)  
Location: the fourth planet of an unexplored solar system

After a search that had lasted for a couple of hours and had spanned several hundred thousand square miles, the quartet of saiyans found a suitable location to set themselves up for the duration of their stay on the abandoned, irradiated planet. It had been Nappa who had initially discovered the tiny hamlet, far from any of the world's major metropolises – and radiation hot-spots. After contacting his comrades – and retrieving Bra who had stayed with the pods due to her weakened condition – it was determined that the location was perfect for their needs.

The deserted settlement consisted of what was once twenty or so homes, a small shop, and an establishment akin to a tavern and inn. All of these buildings were in some degree of disrepair, having no one to maintain the structures for countless years. A few of the structures had survived the weathering better than others, however. A natural spring ran through the hamlet, running along the rear of the inn and several of the homes. This water source was definitely a pleasant bonus. Flowing to the surface from the depths of a nearby range of rolling hills, this water was almost completely untouched by the toxins found on the surface and was perfectly safe to drink. All throughout the hamlet, the ground was covered with minimal vegetation, mostly moss and lichen. Bra deduced that the soil was far too acidic to support more complicated forms of plant life. It was her garden-loving grammy who had taught her, after all, that grasses and flowers won't grow where the ground's pH level is too high.

Although this hamlet didn't have a sought-after manufacturing center within its borders, there was one located a few miles away. Breaking into the factory, the group discovered that it was one that created various metal components. As there were no finished products anywhere to be seen, Bra theorized that this plant was once used to make parts that would then be sent off to other manufacturers. What mattered most, however, was that there was plenty of raw materials here for them to use in the repairs of their pods. The available metal scraps could be used to patch the exteriors of their ships and – fingers crossed – the machinery used within the plant might have circuit boards that could be repurposed to replace those damaged in Vegeta's pod.

Having relocated their pods to the hamlet's only intersection, having access to a clean source of water, and having located materials for repairing the pods, the only thing left to be acquired was food. The few buildings within the settlement had little to offer. Any food that had once been inside the homes had been taken long ago. The small shop wasn't much better; what hadn't been cleaned out had spoiled, rotted, and decayed decades ago. In the dark basement of the tavern/inn, they discovered a locked pantry which appeared as though someone had attempted and failed to break into. The deadbolt lock – now rusted – was woefully easy for a saiyan to break through.

Inside the pantry, they found a mass of rotted produce… and a stockpile of canned, jarred, and dried goods. Under the dim light of the ki balls each male held, they examined the many containers' labels. The faded writing on the cans and boxes were foreign to them – the natives of the planet having died so long ago, their language wasn't on file in the PTO database. There was only one way to figure out what was inside these bulk-sized containers, and that was to open some up.

Nappa and Raditz did the honors, the former grabbing a large can and the latter grabbing a glass jar. They tore the tops off of each. Nappa's can contained a brownish paste while Raditz's jar held something pale and chunky. The contents' scents didn't seem to indicate that these long-ago expired products had gone bad, but it was difficult to say that they were safe to eat, especially since the faint odor of the rotted produce was interfering with their sense of smell. Still, Bra wanted to be cautious.

"We don't know if those are safe to eat or not," the girl began. "They may be deteriorated. Or they may have been exposed to radiation… although doubtful since they were below ground in this sealed pantry… but we have to be careful before we—" The blunette cut herself off as she watched, mortified, as Nappa brought his can of brown paste to his lips and poured the contents into his mouth, practically swallowing the entire thing in three gulps.

The giant contemplated what he had just consumed. "Tasted a little odd… salty as hell, a hint of a metallic flavor, perhaps a little old, but definitely some sort of vegetable paste. Not the best, but I've had much worse."

Bra couldn't immediately find the words to describe what she had just witnessed. Nappa's total disregard for his own safety completely blew her mind away. When she could finally wrap her head around what she had just seen, her tempter naturally flared.

"What's the matter with you!?" the teen demanded. "Didn't I just say that we had to be careful because we don't know if any of this is safe to eat or not? Why would you go and do something so reckless?"

Nappa gave the girl a long, cold look. "We know _now_, don't we?"

Bra was unable to argue that point, but she'd be damned if she didn't try. Just as she was starting to formulate a rebuttal, she noticed Raditz raise his can of mystery chunks to his mouth and consume it. She turned and watched, again mortified, as her suitor slurped down the pale contents, although he did it with much less gusto than Nappa had earlier shown.

"You, too!?" the halfling snapped.

Raditz shrugged. "Nappa's right. Not the most desirable flavor but not completely inedible."

When Vegeta grabbed a box from the pantry and began to tear it open, Bra threw her hands up in defeat. "Does _no one_ listen to me?"

"Quiet, girl," the prince barked. "There is no danger here, so quit your shrieking."

As Bra ceased her mini tirade, Vegeta grabbed a small, black, oval-shaped object from his box. He popped it into his mouth and began to chew carefully. It was very hard and very dry. The others could hear it crunching between his teeth. Eventually, he managed to work it down into an almost flavorless paste which he managed to swallow. He grimaced at the rest of the box's contents when he was done.

"Detestable," the prince growled.

Having given in, Bra quietly suggested, "It would probably taste better it's cooked first."

Vegeta's eyes darted to the girl. "Very well, then. Prepare a meal for us, girl."

The teenager's jaw dropped. "I can't do that!" she protested. Bra knew a lot about a vast amount of things, but one thing she knew nothing about was cooking. Especially when the only ingredients she had at her disposal were completely foreign to her.

The prince glared at her. "Are you disobeying me? Again?"

"No, no," Bra backpedaled. "I just thought that my priority was fixing the ships. I didn't think you'd want me to waste time cooking. That's all."

"Are you prepared to begin the repairs immediately?" Vegeta challenged.

"Well… no," the blunette stammered. "I need some of the metal scraps from the factory brought here before I can begin to patch up the exterior hulls of our pods."

"Then it's decided," the prince declared. "You will prepare a meal for us while we retrieve these scraps you require."

Bra stood there with her mouth gaping, unable to argue her way out of the situation. Nappa took advantage of her speechlessness.

"What's the matter, wench? You're actin' like you don't want to cook for us. Why is that? Is there something wrong? Does the thought of being our servant make you sick? Or is it something else? You're a female so it can't be because you can't cook." When witnessing the startled look in Bra's eyes, Nappa guffawed, realizing he had inadvertently discovered her dilemma. "I can't believe it! The wench _doesn't_ know how! There's something 'Little Miss Know-it-all' can't do!"

Irritated by the giant's harassment of the girl, Raditz came to her defense. "Leave her be, Nappa! Bulla can do anything she puts her mind to! What's the big deal if she doesn't know much about cooking? Every meal she and I have prepared together thus far has been adequate."

Bra turned towards Raditz, feeling a bit slighted. "Just 'adequate,' huh?"

Raditz was instantly confused. He had meant it to be a compliment. He wasn't sure how he had offended her. He reached out to her through their bond, offering an apology though he wasn't sure why he should do so. At the same time, he searched Bra's emotions to try to gain some insight. But he found that she was almost completely closed off to him at the moment and he got no response from her.

"Alright, we've wasted enough time here," Vegeta announced. "Nappa. Raditz. Leave the girl to her assignment. We have other duties to fulfill."

Bra watched the three men leave the pantry and head back up the stairs to the main floor, taking with them their ki light as they left. She had only the blue glow of her smart-watch to light her way. In the quiet and dark basement, she suddenly felt very alone, even though she could feel the ki sources of her comrades as they headed towards the manufacturing plant a few miles away. Bra pushed aside this feeling of loneliness as her thoughts shifted towards the task of preparing a meal.

Exiting the pantry, the halfling turned to her left towards the rest of the basement. To her surprise and relief, she found a fully supplied, but filthy, kitchen. Unfortunately, there was no electricity available and she began to wonder how she was going to put together a meal. She soon discovered that the kitchen's cooking appliance was gas powered and there was plenty of fuel to serve her needs. All she needed to do was to turn the knobs and use a tiny bit of her diminished ki to ignite the gas.

"Fantabulous," Bra said to herself, slipping into human common. "No fiddling around with doing this over a fire pit."

The teen turned off the gas, extinguishing the flame. Her next task was to clean enough of the food prep and cooking surfaces. There was no way she was preparing any meal on top of the thick layer of dust and dirt that had accumulated over the years. But for that, she'd need some water, and that meant she'd have to haul some down here from the nearby spring. She spotted a huge metal pot, one that looked as though it could hold ten gallons of water, and grabbed it before heading out. After a couple of trips back and forth to the spring, she had successfully washed the cooking appliance, the counter next to it, the wash basin, several cooking tools, and she had acquired an extra pot of water for use while she prepared their meal.

The next thing Bra had to decide was how much to cook. She returned to the pantry to determine how much food they had in their inventory. She found that there were nineteen gallon-sized cans of various substances, twenty-seven half-gallon-sized glass jars of preserves, and fourteen ten pound boxes of dried goods. She scratched her head as she calculated how to ration such meager supplies with four saiyan mouths to feed.

"Figuring that we have to be off this world in seven days… two meals each day… per meal, that's one to two cans, two jars, and one box. Divided by four. Holy hell… That's only about five pounds of food per meal for each of us. For a human, that would be a feast. But for these guys… that's barely enough to meet a small fraction of the caloric intake they need." The blue-haired girl shook her head in defeat. "They won't like this, but it's all we've got and we're lucky to have it. They'll just have to deal with it."

Taking into consideration the fact that Raditz and Nappa had each blown through a large portion of the rations available for the meal Bra was about to prepare, she selected only one can, one jar, and one box. Since she had spent so much time cleaning already, she didn't bother to rifle through too many of the containers to determine their contents. She opted to grab a jar and a can that had the same labels as those Raditz and Nappa had consumed earlier. Of the boxes, however, she _did_ spend a little extra time inspecting them. Among the boxes, she discovered one containing a brown, powdered sweetener, which in turn forced her to re-tally the number of food boxes down to thirteen in number. After assessing the contents of the remaining boxes, she selected one that held blue, noodle-like objects.

With her ingredients in hand, the teenager set to her task of cooking their first meal on this sickly world. By the light of the stove's blue flame and that of her smart-watch, she did her best with what she had to work with.

* * *

An hour later, Bra was carrying dishes of food up to the tavern's main floor where a bar and small dining area had, decades ago, hosted dozens of guests. In this dining area, she had already cleaned off one of the larger rectangular tables and this is where she set down the pre-rationed plates of food. Just as she was setting down the last plate, the three saiyans entered the building.

"Oh, good! Food's ready!" Nappa immediately observed. "I'm starving! So this better be good, wench!"

Bra ignored Nappa's degrading tone as she took her seat, placing her back to the approaching saiyans. When they arrived, they all froze when they inspected the meager meal.

"What the hell is this?" the bald man barked in outrage.

"It's lunch. Or dinner. Or whatever you want to call it since it's only the middle of the afternoon," Bra replied.

"It's an outrage, is what this is!" Nappa cried.

"Well, there would have been more if you and Raditz hadn't choked down a third of the rations for this meal," the girl answered. "By the way, those two plates are yours."

Bra gestured to two dishes placed on the table, one next to her, the other on the opposite side of the table. On each plate was a serving of the boiled, blue, noodle-like substance – and nothing else. Across from Bra's plate was a fourth dish of noodles that had been garnished with the brown paste. Next to this plate was a bowl of the pale gelatinous chunks. This larger portion didn't go unnoticed. Vegeta sat down in the seat across from Bra, laying claim to the largest serving on the table. Having lost the battle for food before having the opportunity to even fight it, Raditz and Nappa sat down at their assigned places with Nappa seated at Vegeta's right and Raditz at Bra's left.

Raditz watched as Nappa quickly devoured his share. It was literally a matter of seconds before he had polished off his plate. Having nothing else to eat, the giant sat there, petulantly, while he waited for Vegeta to finish his own meal. Raditz's attention shifted to the prince. Vegeta took his time to very cautiously sample the meal. After the prince navigated past whatever obstacle that had caused his initial hesitation, his pace soon quickened.

Raditz felt bitter while watching the prince from the corner of his eye. What bothered the long-haired man was the fact that Bra had provided Vegeta with the largest portion of their meal. This preferential treatment towards the prince didn't sit well with Raditz. He knew that Nappa wouldn't complain about the discrepancy any further than he already had – why would Nappa question the fact that the largest ration had been given to the only one among them who was royalty? But because Raditz knew that Bra was half saiyan, and suspecting that the girl had a romantic interest in the prince, he interpreted the girl's act of providing Vegeta with the most food as an attempt to court him or, at the very least, to win his favor.

Bothered by his misplaced suspicions, Raditz slowly ate his meal. Bra seemed to pick at her own, preoccupied by the unspoken tension that she sensed from two of her three companions. As soon as Vegeta finished his meal, he and Nappa wordlessly excused themselves from the table and went outside. As soon as they were gone, Raditz lashed out.

Having noticed how much smaller Bra's portion was than everyone else's, this was how he vented his frustration. "Here. You need to eat as much as the rest of us. Just because you're trying to hide your identity from the others doesn't mean you should starve yourself. You need your strength to recover from the radiation sickness."

The teenager pushed his plate back away from hers. "No, it's okay. My full ration was just as large as Prince Vegeta's. I ate most of mine down in the kitchen before you guys got back. I reserved this little bit just for show."

Raditz retracted his plate, again in awe of Bra's craftiness. Her continued deviousness, however, caused his wariness of her to grow yet again.

"I see," he said shortly.

Bra, having been sensing Raditz's growing irritation throughout their meal, snapped. "What's wrong with you? Why are you being so angry?"

"I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

The long-haired man demanded, "Why did you short me and Nappa? Why were we given such small portions?"

Bra gave Raditz a look of disbelief. She thought that if any of her three saiyan companions would have understood why she had distributed such limited shares of food, that it would have been Raditz. She knew Nappa would object – and he had proved her right. She suspected that her father would have demanded her to cook more, but he had surprised her when he hadn't voiced one complaint. When it came to her confidence that Raditz would have understood, however, she was apparently very wrong.

Upset that Raditz would question her in such a way that made her feel like he was accusing her of something, she explained, "As I said before, the food we have available to us is very limited. I gave you and Nappa a smaller share because each of you guzzled down a large portion of what would have been available for this meal. Neither Vegeta nor myself had done so, so to be fair, I gave the two of us the larger share during this meal. You'll see that tomorrow, the food will be more equally distributed."

Raditz absorbed that answer in stunned silence. As his anger completely dissipated, he felt foolish for having nearly accusing the girl of pursuing the prince.

After a moment of quiet, Bra added, "And just so you know, your serving was slightly bigger than Nappa's since he had more to eat than you did earlier."

This statement served its purpose in making Raditz feel even more the fool. He knew now, that Bra had only been looking out for everyone's collective best interest. Not her own. Not Vegeta's. Not even his own. She was simply being fair. She saw all four of them as equals. Rank apparently didn't matter to her. If it _had_ mattered, then Raditz realized that he, born a third-class, would have been given the smallest portion, if she had bothered with him at all. While Bra's blindness to class eased his mind in this regard, it also concerned him. Desiring to be her mate, Raditz felt that she should have treated him with preference.

They quietly finished the rest of their meal. Bra, professing to have very picky eating habits despite her saiyan appetite, managed to choke down the last of her portion. She had done her best to make something edible, and in her opinion, it was barely that. It had come as a relief when no one had complained about how awful it was.

When Bra and Raditz were done with their meal, the long-haired man helped the girl carry the soiled dishes down into the kitchen, leaving them in the sink to be washed later. He did this as a way to sort of make amends for his earlier hostility towards her.

"Thank you," Bra said genuinely after they were done. To ease the tension between them, she said playfully, "Now… let's get out of this dark basement and see what kind of goodies you guys brought for me to play with."

When they exited the tavern, Bra was startled to see nearly a dozen large piles of metal scraps scattered around the four pods in the center of the hamlet's crossroads. There was far more here than she'd ever need for the repair of the pods.

In her shock, the teen asked, "What'd you guys do?"

Irritated, Vegeta snapped, "Is this not enough?"

Bra's wide eyes turned to her father. "No, not at all. I mean- yes, this is plenty. More than plenty. But why so much?"

Raditz supplied, "We didn't know what kind of metal you required. So we brought back samples from each stock pile in the warehouse."

"Be grateful, wench," Nappa added. "We didn't haul all of this back here just for your amusement."

Bra didn't respond to the bald man's snide remarks. Instead, she approached the nearest pile of scrap metal. She selected a piece and began to examine it. It was very light and its color was a dull silver. She tested its malleability and found that with little effort she could bend it without breaking it. This was good in that it would be very easy to form and shape into thin pieces. Unfortunately, its light weight indicated that it probably wasn't dense enough to block out radiation. The girl tossed the scrap back onto the pile and moved on.

The teenager worked her way through each pile of scrap metal, conducting her examinations of each. At one point, she came across a pile that she was certain was lead. The fact that some of the pieces appeared to be tarnished contributed to this suspicion. This metal, being very dense and malleable, was almost perfect for repairing the pods' hulls. Unfortunately, the girl knew that the melting point for lead (if that's what it really was) was far below the temperatures reached during planetary reentry. Even though they'd only need to make one landing with the temporary repairs to their pods, she didn't want to take the risk if she didn't have to.

The girl tested the melting point of this dark, blue-gray metal. She placed a piece of scrap on the ground and aimed a low level beam of ki at it, slowly increasing her energy output. Fortunately, her meager meal had helped her to regain a small portion of her strength, enough that she was able to access a greater fraction of her ki again. Unfortunately, she knew that she had only so much to work with.

As the metal grew hotter, it started to soften. Once it had completely melted, Bra extinguished her ki. She hadn't put much energy into the beam by the time the scrap turned into a pool of liquid, indicating that not a lot of heat was required to liquefy this type of metal. She determined that it wouldn't be suitable to repair the exterior hulls of their pods. Despite the setback, she _did_ keep this metal in her mind as a possible solution to the problem of their radiation exposure. She may not be able to use it to patch the holes and dents in the outer hulls, but she _could_ place slabs of it beneath the holes and cover the slabs with another metal of a higher melting point.

The teen later came across another metal that was heavier than the one she suspected was lead. The light-silver metal proved to have an extremely high melting point which would have been perfect for the hulls. In fact, it had a melting point several times higher than the temperatures that it would be exposed to during planetary reentry. Unfortunately, this one was far too brittle to be able to form into thin patches, rendering almost useless.

Bra was about to give up finding that perfect 'Goldilocks' metal when she came to the last pile of scrap. She selected a piece of silver-white metal and found that it was the heaviest yet. To her delight, she found that it was also very malleable. The final test was to determine its melting point. While not as high as some of the others she had examined, she found that it was plenty high enough to withstand the reentry process. And because it had such a high density, it would most certainly block out radiation. Having found her winner, she smiled.

The halfling turned towards her full-blooded comrades. "Alright. Here's the deal. The metal in this pile here is the one we'll use to patch the hulls. But we're running short on daylight here. We have to have our pods radiation-proof by the time we go to sleep tonight if we want our healing units to be effective. Since I can't do all the repairs by myself in such little time, I'm going to show you guys what to do to repair the hulls in your own pods."

Nappa, of course, objected. "Stupid wench! Can't you do _anything_ right? First you starve us! Now you're ordering us around!? Who do you think we are? Your servants?"

Bra could feel her headache returning from the stress of dealing with Nappa's confrontational behavior. She shut her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to will it and her frustrations away. It was a pose that she had subconsciously picked up from her mother who, as the president of her company, very often had had to deal with stressful situations… and people.

Raditz put a hand on Bra's back, offering his support. He glared at Nappa and said, "Stop trying to pick a fight with Bulla."

The giant chortled. "Now the _third-class_ thinks he can order me around! No, I will _not_ stop! Unless you think you can make me," he challenged.

In a calm, but irritated tone, Bra asked Nappa, "Why must you fight with me every opportunity you get?"

The bald man growled, "Because I don't like you and I don't trust you."

"Clearly. And the feeling is mutual. But I'm not ordering you around or starving you out of spite. I'm trying to do my best, to do _what's_ best, for everyone here. And your resistance is only serving to exacerbate an already difficult situation."

Finally, Vegeta intervened. "Nappa, you will cease your petty quarrels with the girl at once. I am growing weary of your childish behavior. You will _listen_ to the girl's instructions and you will _follow_ them. If you fail to comply, I will blast your pod into pieces so tiny that there will be no repairing it. And if you continue to squabble with the girl, I will withhold your food rations. Understood?"

Nappa grumbled quietly to himself, displeased with the scolding he had received. Still, he managed to mumble a "Yes, Prince Vegeta."

It irritated Nappa greatly that his own prince would side with a girl who they barely knew, a girl who wasn't even a saiyan! It made him feel as though all his years of servitude and loyalty to the royal family, particularly to the prince himself, meant nothing. He already felt as though Vegeta had little use for him anymore. When the prince had been a mere cub, Nappa's duty to the royal family and his oath to protect the child had given his life purpose, despite having lost his entire family.

But Vegeta had long ago become a grown man and Nappa had little to offer him anymore. _All I have left to give to Prince Vegeta is my strength and loyalty,_ he believed. _As long as I can continue to give him these things, I'll always have a place at his side. But now that that wench is with us… How can I compete against someone who is almost as strong as I am, but is far more intelligent and useful than I can ever be?_ Nappa understandably felt threatened. He questioned how secure his position as Vegeta's right hand truly was.

With the argument put to an end, Bra pressed onward with her instructions. "Everyone follow me," she said as she led the group over to the pile of scrap metal that she had decided was too brittle to use for the repairs. Digging through the pile, she found four pieces of scrap that were already in bowl-like shapes.

"What are we doing with this?" Raditz inquired. "I thought we were going to use that other metal."

Bra was happy to answer. "You're right. We can't use this metal on our ships, but we can use it as tools for our repairs. The metal we'll be using on our hulls has a really high melting point, but this metal has an even higher one."

"I see," Vegeta interrupted. "We'll be using _these_ scraps as vessels for melting down the other metal. And we can use other bits from this pile as tools to shape and apply the melted ore onto our ships."

The blue-haired girl smiled at her father. "Precisely."

After distributing 'tools' amongst the group, Bra led them back over to the pile of hull metal. She demonstrated how to liquefy it without melting down the metal of her bowl. Bringing the container of liquid metal to her ship, she began to slowly pour it into one of the holes in the hull. At this point, she was really winging it. She wasn't at all certain how the patch would turn out, but she hoped for the best since their faith in her abilities was riding on this moment. She was nervous because this wasn't at all how she was accustomed to working on the space ships back home. Typically, she had access to an unlimited amount of sophisticated and high tech equipment to do the job for her. But, as she had said earlier to Nappa, she was doing the best she could.

The patch job was just that – a crude patch. After filling the hole with the thick melted metal, Bra used a flat, makeshift tool to smooth out the patch. The metal was quickly cooling and becoming thicker and thicker as she worked. As it cooled from a liquid into a thick paste, she did her best to shape it into place. When it became too hard to manipulate, she had no choice but to settle for the roughly edged repair. When she was done, she stepped back to give the men an opportunity to examine the final result.

"As you can see," the teen explained, "it's not going to be perfect given the crude tools we have to work with. But you'll want to do your best to make it as close to perfect as possible. You'll want the patches to your hulls to be as smooth as you can make them so that they don't interfere with the aerodynamics of the pods."

The group nodded to confirm their understanding of her lecture.

"I'll help each of you with your first patch to make sure there aren't any issues, then I'll come back to finish mine," Bra announced. Then she turned to face her father. "Prince Vegeta, since your pod has far more damage than the others, I'll come and help you after I'm done fixing mine. Okay?"

Vegeta nodded once before proceeding to procure hull metal to melt down. Bra and Nappa joined him, leaving Raditz to take up the rear. The long-haired man watched, grudgingly, as the object of his affection followed the prince towards his pod to guide him through his first patch job. Bra's offer to assist Vegeta weighed heavily in Raditz's mind. He tried to assure himself that the girl's offer wasn't an attempt to win the prince's favor. _I have to believe that Bulla wants to help Prince Vegeta because it's the logical thing to do. Her reason makes sense – there's far more work to be done on his pod. _But he couldn't stop himself from feeling jealous once again. Seeing the two of them together was becoming too much to bear.

* * *

Over the next couple of hours, the repair process went fairly well. Initially, Bra had to work with Nappa a little longer than she had desired to, but she wanted to make sure that he was repairing his pod correctly. After making sure both Vegeta and Nappa were well on their way to getting their hulls fixed, the teenager visited with Raditz. She felt bad that it had taken her so long to get to him and she felt even worse to discover that he was already well into the repairs on his pod by the time she eventually made it over to him. To make matters worse, he seemed to be upset about something, but he wouldn't reveal what that had been. With him having closed himself off to her, she couldn't even decipher his problem through their shared link. She could only assume that he was upset that she had taken so long to help him.

Leaving a stewing Raditz behind, Bra returned to her own pod to finish her own repairs. In addition to fixing the holes and dents in her hull, she also patched up the damage to her fuel tank. Once those were done, she checked up on the other saiyans again, this time making sure to start with Raditz first. He was nearly done and she offered him words of encouragement. This seemed to lighten his mood, albeit slightly.

After visiting with Raditz, the teenager moved on to Nappa. The giant was also nearing completion, but his repairs looked really rough and sloppy. Bra gave him a few suggestions meant to help him with the difficulties he was having, but he hadn't taken her advice very well. After the large man gave her a warning growl that indicated he wanted to be left alone, she wordlessly moved on to the last member of the group.

Looking over Vegeta's pod, Bra discovered that he had been very meticulously repairing the hull. The patches were almost completely smooth. She wanted to admire his work, but she fretted that he was being _too_ particular. They didn't have a lot of time to spare in order for him to work so slowly and carefully. With so much damage to his ship, it would take a couple of days to complete the patchwork at the pace he was working. As promised, the girl immediately began to fix the damage alongside her father.

Shortly thereafter, the repairs to Raditz's and Nappa's pods were finished. They approached Vegeta's pod to lend additional assistance. Because the remaining damage to be fixed was on one side of the pod, there wasn't much room for all four of them to work on the hull directly. Therefore, Nappa and Raditz took up the task of melting down the scrap metal while Vegeta and Bra applied it to the hull. The girl was thankful for this natural arrangement of teamwork, given the fact that her ki was nearly depleted by this point. They were making record time and were nearing completion when something that had slipped Bra's mind was suddenly brought to everyone's attention.

Breaking the comfortable silence that had come over them while they worked, Nappa asked Bra, "Did you have any plans to fix the latch on my pod's door before tonight?"

The blunette was startled. _Oh, shit! I completely forgot all about the latch! What good was patching his pod if he can't shut the door?_

Recovering from her shock and trying to conceal her near blunder, Bra coolly answered, "Yes. I wanted to make sure the hulls would be fixed first before moving on to fixing the latch. But I'm gonna need to make a trip to that factory first. There's gotta be something there that we can use to replace your broken one."

Bra broke away from the group. After retrieving her tools from her own pod, she headed over to Nappa's. The wary giant joined her, not trusting her to be alone with his ship. She examined the bolts that held the broken latch in place. Fortunately, the tool kit she acquired on Planet Opula was a PTO standard issue and within it contained tools that were compatible with parts used in the assembly of the space pods. Bra selected a tool that resembled a tri-wing screwdriver and began to remove the damaged latch.

"What are you doing?" Nappa demanded.

"I need to bring this with me. For reference. To make sure that I get something similar in size, shape, and function."

Satisfied with the answer, the giant fell silent and allowed the girl to work.

Over at Vegeta's pod, the prince and the third-class saiyan continued to patch the hull. Raditz, however, kept a watchful eye on Nappa and Bra. He distrusted the mustachioed man. His concern was an obvious distraction that wore on Vegeta's nerves.

"I want you to go with the girl to retrieve the parts she needs," the prince instructed.

Raditz was mildly surprised. "You do?"

"Yes. I would send Nappa, but it's clear to me that if I did, then you'd do nothing but fret until they returned. Your affection for the girl is become troublesome, Raditz. Nappa's earlier assessment is correct – you're allowing your attachment to her to become quite the inconvenience. If not for her usefulness, I would not have been so tolerant of this _thing_ occurring between the two of you. But I've had quite enough of it.

"From this point forward, I want you to remove any thoughts of bedding the girl from your mind. The only relationship I will permit you to pursue with her is that of a professional one. She will be your squad mate and nothing more. That means there will be no more coddling her, no more jumping to her defense, no more overt displays of protection. If I discover that the two of you continue to fraternize with each other – and I _will_ discover it if it should occur – then there will be consequences that you shall not find favorable. I will have no further distractions from you. Understood?"

Raditz was stunned. He hadn't realized how careless and obvious he had been, despite his intention to keep his interest in the girl discrete. Out of fear, he forced himself to answer although it left a sour taste in his mouth. "Yes, Prince Vegeta."

"Good. Now go."

The third-class saiyan dismissed himself and went to Nappa's pod to retrieve the girl. The scolding he had just received left his emotions feeling very turbulent. Complying with Vegeta's orders warred with his instincts surrounding Bra. Raditz had hoped that this wouldn't happen, that his interest in the teenager wouldn't become an issue. He had completely and utterly failed. And with this failure, he had failed to protect Bra. He felt angry, bitter, frustrated, and afraid. He knew that the only thing he could do at this point to ensure the girl's safety was to keep his distance from her, as much as it would pain him to do so.

Nappa noticed Raditz's arrival. "What do you want, third-class?"

"Prince Vegeta ordered me to accompany Bulla in her search for a new latch."

Bra collected both halves of the broken latch. "That's good news," she chirped to Raditz. "I hate to ask, but do you think you could give me a lift to the factory? I'm still feeling a little under the influence of the radiation."

Raditz took a long glance in Vegeta's direction before turning back towards Bra to give her an answer. "I think it's best that you try to fly on your own."

The blunette was surprised by her suitor's refusal. Although he had been acting very peculiar all day, she noticed that his demeanor had taken yet another unusual turn. He was suddenly very withdrawn, more so than he had been all day, and he seemed very troubled by something. She intended to figure it out once they were alone.

"Alright," Bra answered.

With some great effort, Bra found the strength to levitate into the air. Raditz took the lead so that he wouldn't have to witness her struggle, so that he wouldn't be tempted to try to help her. However, he did fly slowly so that she could keep up and he kept them flying near enough to the ground that, should her strength give out, a fall wouldn't be fatal. These were things he could do for her and not go against Vegeta's order.

Though the trip took longer than it could have had he been able to carry her, Raditz and Bra finally arrived at the manufacturing plant. The girl immediately noticed where the saiyans had earlier plundered the factory. Holes had been ripped through roofs and walls where raw materials and scrap metal had been extracted. For only a moment, she wondered if such wanton destruction had been necessary. Bra led Raditz away from these decimated warehouses and towards one of the assembly buildings. If she were to find what she needed, that was where it'd be.

The duo slowly and meticulously worked their way through the building. They scoured every available source Bra could think of in search of a new latch. The duo looked through every container of finished components that had once been mass produced at the plant. They found nothing of use. Moving onto the next building brought similar results. Although they had found a few items that were similar to what they needed, none of those possibilities were compatible. It wasn't until they began their search of the third and final building that they had some luck.

To save time, Bra had suggested that she and Raditz split up to cover more ground. She had yet to figure out a way to confront him about his suddenly standoffish behavior. He wasn't behaving aggressively or rudely towards her, per se. But his short, neutral responses and almost mechanical reactions to her were extremely out of character for him. It was as if he suddenly no longer knew how to act around her. She wondered what, if anything, she had done differently to have caused this change.

The long-haired saiyan complied with the girl's suggestion and went to the far end of the manufacturing plant to begin his search. As Bra worked her way down her end of the production line, her worrisome thoughts about Raditz were momentarily forgotten as she came upon an unexpected jackpot. Inside one of the containers was a countless number of wire connectors. They were far too small to be of any use for the reparations in the pods, but she had another use in mind.

"Score!" the halfling quietly cheered as she examined one such wire. _This is exactly what I need to complete the upgrade to my smart-watch!_ She pocketed a handful of the connectors. She was super excited knowing that she had what she needed to complete the project that she had started so long ago and she couldn't wait to complete it. But first thing was first – getting that latch repaired. Pushing her joy to the side to concentrate on the task at hand, she moved along to the next container to continue her search.

From the other end of the production building, Raditz was working just as carefully, if not more slowly, than Bra. His frustrations, however, were rising with every failure to procure a replacement latch. _How am I to know if anything I come across will be of use?_ he grumbled. _It is bad enough already knowing that I am being forced to abandon Bulla… something that will be nigh impossible to do. And now, I find that I cannot fulfill the simplest task!_

In his escalating rage, Raditz kicked one of the nearby machines with a deafening thud. Metal dented inward and ripped apart. Wires, long since dead without the electricity to feed them, dangled in severed strands. Gears became exposed. Many of them had been dislodged by the impact and fell to the ground. With each one that struck the concrete floor, a high pitched 'ping' echoed off of the vast walls.

From the opposite end of the building, Bra called out, "Raditz? What's going on? Is everything okay down there?"

Feeling foolish, the long-haired man called back, "Yes. Everything is fine."

Raditz took a moment to calm himself. The entire situation between himself, Bra, and Vegeta had his nerves strung so tight that he felt they were going to snap. He had yet to figure out what to do about it. He couldn't comply with Vegeta's orders and follow his instincts at the same time. It was this conflict that was driving him mad.

The third-class saiyan stared vacantly at the damage he had wrought upon the lifeless machinery as his thoughts swirled through his mind. Slowly, the distractions of his inner conflicts slipped to the side as his attention returned to his surroundings. As his awareness became more collected, he realized that in the act of lashing out on the machinery, he had jostled loose a panel on the side of the equipment. This panel, oddly enough, was an access panel, and had been secured in place with a latch. He stared at this latch and then looked down to the broken one from Nappa's pod resting in his hand. Although not identical, the two appeared to be of comparable size, shape, and function. But he couldn't be certain if the discovered latch would suit their needs, not without Bra's expertise.

Raditz immediately headed towards the other end of the factory to retrieve Bra. He could hear the sounds of her progress softly reverberate through the otherwise silent building. But something peculiar grabbed his attention as he neared her location. An odd smell infiltrated his senses. It wasn't an unpleasant odor. In fact, it was quite an addicting aroma. Distracted, he forgot all about retrieving Bra to inspect the latch he had discovered. Dropping the broken one from Nappa's ship, he followed the intoxicating scent to its source.

Bra was leaning over the edge of a large crate, buttocks in the air, pawing through the contents at the bottom when she thought she sensed Raditz approach her from behind. Curious to know why he had suddenly abandoned his own search, she stood to face him. She suspected, perhaps, that he was ready to open up and talk to her about what exactly was going on with him. Though she still wasn't exactly sure how to breach the topic, she decided to be the one to initiate the discussion. She opened her mouth to speak, but before any sound could come out, she was halted by the feverish look in Raditz's eyes.

Before she knew what was happening, the blunette found herself pinned against the nearest wall, crushed beneath Raditz's weight. She found herself lifted off of the ground – by how many inches, she wasn't sure. She was held very securely in place; Raditz's right hand on her left hip and his tail wrapped tightly around her other leg, curling around her thigh so that the tip stopped mere centimeters from the apex between her legs. His other hand – his left – had a firm grip on her chin and had pulled her face to her right. She could feel his legs trapping hers between them. And she could barely breathe as he pressed himself against her. The only space between their bodies was provided by her arms, and only because they were pinned between herself and her suitor.

"Raditz, what are you…?" Bra started to ask but was cut off when she felt him lower his nose and mouth to her neck. The extremely intimate and invasive contact immediately made her heart start thumping in her chest and her adrenaline begin to course through her body. Her face heated up as a dark blush crept up her face. She could feel his warm, wet breath on her skin as he drank in her scent.

Bra was nervous and uncertain about what was going on. She had never been in such a situation before. And Raditz's very, very bizarre actions had completely thrown her. She felt very apprehensive. She tensed up, preparing for whatever unknown was to come. It wasn't until she felt Raditz's tongue and teeth on her skin that she knew something was terribly wrong.

"Raditz? What's going on?" the demi-saiyan asked with great worry. The slight warble in her voice betrayed the growing fear pooling in her stomach. The problem was, she didn't know what exactly she was more afraid of. Raditz… or herself.

Although Raditz seemed to be scenting and tasting Bra's neck, he hadn't yet done any further to her. She was still alarmed by his actions, however. She quickly came to the conclusion that something had triggered his mating instincts. For some time up until this point, he had been _very_ direct with her about his intentions to make her his mate. But she never suspected that he would so strongly succumb to this desire that he would make such an aggressive move on her. She feared that if she didn't end this quickly, that his instincts – and the situation – would go too far to be undone.

In addition to fearing Raditz's instincts, Bra feared _her own_ as well. Long ago, she recognized that her instincts hadn't rejected his advances. His attempts to court her were the first attempts from _anybody_ that her instincts had actually accepted. The unlikely pair had begun going through courting rituals before either of them had even realized they had been doing so. Having the ball already set in motion, so to speak, she found that her own instincts, her own hormones, were screaming out to her to let him take her as his. It was this thought, that she would submit to her hormonal instincts, that terrified her.

Against her will, the blunette felt a warm pool grow deep within her belly. Feeling Raditz's body against her own, feeling his tongue and teeth caress her skin, feeling his strong arms envelope her… All of these sensations caused her arousal to free itself, slowly escaping until it became a strong and palpable manifestation. Her eyes were drawn to his neck. The bronzed skin there was warm and inviting. She could smell his masculine scent – a sweet nectar of pine and mint – luring her in to him. The warmth inside her grew, spreading lower and lower to encompass her feminine regions.

The full-blooded saiyan immediately caught the scent of Bra's blooming lust and his own arousal surged to the surface. Through their clothing, she could feel the hardness of his erection press against her belly. The sensation both thrilled and unsettled her. The feeling of his manhood, hard and ready, intensified her lust. Her heart quickened. Her breaths became fast and heavy.

But at the same time, the evidence of Raditz's arousal made Bra more fearful of crossing into the unknown. This uncertainty sobered her just enough to realize that her suitor had completely opened his end of the link between them. Through their bond, she could feel that all of his rational thoughts were gone, having been driven away by his barely controlled and animalistic need to claim her. She realized that her ability to think rationally, too, was very close to being lost.

Suddenly feeling Raditz's overwhelming need and desire to dominate her caused the girl's human half to become completely terrified. The human side of her, the side that represented her childhood and her innocence, cried out against her stronger saiyan side. Her human half pleaded with her not to continue. Feeling Raditz's erection against her made everything all too real for her and brought her fear to even greater heights. She was too young. She wasn't ready for this. It was too much for her to handle. She felt completely and utterly helpless and had no control over the situation.

Fortunately for Bra, her saiyan half responded very strongly to the fear that was consuming her human side. Her saiyan instinct didn't quite understand the source of fear, but it clearly understood the sensations of danger and threat. Because the call to ensure her survival was far greater than the call to claim a mate, her saiyan side immediately abandoned all thoughts of mating to focus on fighting for her survival instead. She immediately lashed out against her captor, struggling to free herself from his grasp.

The problem Bra encountered was that the events of that day had taken a very extensive toll on her. In the aftermath of her radiation exposure and sickness, having worked on the pods in a barely recovered state, and then having to fly to this factory when she was almost too exhausted to do so… She lacked the strength to be able to push Raditz off of her. Oh, she tried. She put everything she had left in her to push him away from her. But her attempts were as feeble as a kitten trying to fight off a Rottweiler.

To make matters worse, the teenager's struggles only served to incite Raditz. He clamped his teeth on her neck forcefully, but not yet enough to break the skin. He growled at her, voicing his displeasure. She had never felt so weak or helpless in her entire life. Not even the incident that set this whole series of events in motion – the attack on her home that had killed her family and sent her decades into the past – could compare to her current predicament.

Feeling so weak only exacerbated her desperate need to escape the strong grip of the large saiyan man. His large frame completely engulfed her, making her feel utterly trapped. Panic and anxiety filled her core. She was desperate to escape, a wild and irrational creature, but she still could do nothing to free herself. Fear, combined with the shame that she had become so weak, caused her eyes to fill with tears. They spilled down her cheeks to fall onto the flesh of Raditz's face. It was the salty scent of her terror that finally brought the saiyan male out of his drunken, lust-filled stupor.

The long-haired man immediately withdrew from Bra's neck, scared and alarmed that something was wrong. With the scent of her arousal quickly dissipating, he was no longer consumed by its intoxicating effects and he was suddenly aware of the pangs of fear rolling off of her in waves and crashing into him via their bond. He withdrew from her just enough to assess her, afraid and uncertain what had happened to her.

With her arms freed, Bra wrapped them around herself, providing herself with little security and comfort. She was relieved but still very frightened. She couldn't look Raditz in the eyes, confused about how this episode had been triggered and fearful that it could be triggered again. Although he had pulled away from her slightly, he was still too close for her comfort at that moment and she trembled from the overload of anxiety and adrenaline his proximity caused.

"Bulla?" the third-class man gently prodded as he tenderly wiped away a tear from her face. "Please look at me."

Bra shook her head and refused to open her eyes. Raditz had never seen her look so shaken, so vulnerable, so helpless before. He didn't fully understand what had happened. His mind worked quickly to try to puzzle it out. He knew that he had been seeking her out to verify if the latch he had found was suitable. He knew that he had stumbled across an irresistible scent; one that turned out to be the scent of Bra's oncoming fertility. He knew that his instincts had taken over at that point and he had been compelled to find Bra. Under the haze of his arousal, he remembered smelling and tasting her own desire to be mated. He was confused by what had happened after that.

The saiyan knew that if Bra had been pureblood, like himself, they probably would have been in the midst of completing the life-mate bond at that very moment. They would probably have found themselves in the middle of a lust-driven frenzy, losing control of themselves as they rutted right there on the factory floor. He struggled to put the thought out of his head lest he lose himself to his instincts again. Regaining his focus, he could only determine that it was her non-saiyan half that had interfered. It was this other side of her, the side that he only knew glimpses of, that had elicited such total and utter fear of him. Still, he failed to understand how the situation had changed so quickly.

"Why?" Raditz asked out loud, unable to hide his curiosity. "Why are you so afraid?"

Bra felt so ashamed, humiliated, and uncomfortable. It had been bad enough to realize that she wasn't prepared for what Raditz had offered her only moments ago. To realize how truly inexperienced she was with something so adult and intimate. It only made her feel very young and immature and foolish. To make the issue worse, she had been so weakened by that day's events that it exacerbated her vulnerability and left her feeling more ashamed. And finally, for him to see the evidence of her fear and weakness as her tears streamed down her face made her feel so humiliated. She couldn't stand to look at him let alone answer him.

"Bulla, please," Raditz pleaded. "Say something."

The saiyan waited with a bated breath for the girl to respond to him. Eventually she did, very briefly, but not with words. She gave him a jumbled snapshot of her churning emotions and a very small glimpse of their cause. He recoiled from her in disgust, thankful that the insight she had provided had lasted just a moment before she reeled it back in. He wasn't disgusted with her or her answer, however. Not in the least. He was mortified with himself. She wasn't afraid of him, _per se_. She was afraid that he had come so very close to losing control of himself and forcing himself upon her.

Of course, Raditz would _never_ consider taking Bra against her will. The concept of rape was a rare, but not unheard of, crime in saiyan culture. But only those who were either severely depraved or had suffered extreme mental trauma would ever dream of committing such a horrendous crime, a crime that defied all of the virtues of the Deities. Raditz would never harm Bra in such a way. Not even his inner beast was capable of it. As a matter of fact, the only reason he _hadn't_ gone any further than he had was because his instincts were waiting for her permission to continue. He deduced that she obviously didn't understand that, but he was determined to try to explain.

"Bulla, I would never force you to do anything you don't want to," the long-haired man said softly to her.

Finally, Bra managed to open her eyes and look up at her suitor. She wore her complete and utter misery undisguised on her face and it ripped Raditz to shreds to see it, to see that he had been the cause. He never wanted to see that look on her face again. He would do anything to make amends for it.

"Please… forgive me…" he choked. "Please, believe me."

Bra was still very quiet. She didn't know what to do or what to say. She still felt very trapped, backed into a corner like a wounded animal, even though she was now standing on her own two feet and even though Raditz had backed away from her by a couple of paces. Things had gotten too quickly out of hand. She thought that this courtship between herself and Raditz could be managed and mitigated. This current situation proved otherwise. It had to stop… before it got any worse.

"I…" the halfling began, trying to find the courage and the words. The best way she could articulate herself in the most clear and precise way was to switch to saiyashi. "I… I want to cease our rituals of courtship," she mumbled softly.

Raditz heard her quiet words but couldn't believe he had heard them correctly. They ripped through his heart. In a matter of seconds he went from shock to disbelief to hurt to confusion before finally settling on anger.

"Why?" he snarled in saiyashi. "Why do you continue to reject me? To reject your instincts? Our instincts have chosen each other as compatible mates! They call out to one another! Can you not feel it? Why do you fight it?"

Bra felt fresh tears spill down her cheeks. How could she possibly make him understand when she couldn't tell him the entire truth? The truth about her origins… her trip into the past… and the events that had yet to pass. Even what she _could_ tell him came with great difficulty.

"Because I… I am… just a cub."

This answer only fueled Raditz's rage. "That is shit! You have reached the age of maturity! You have the smell of one who has received Mele's Gift! You cannot tell me that you are still just a girl-cub!"

The blunette recoiled from his anger, but softly explained, "On _**Ea-**_ On my home world… I am still a child. I… I might have reached physical… maturity, but mentally… I am not ready for this. And… given that you are so much older than me… I feel… so scared… It feels… wrong."

Raditz failed to understand. What did their ages have to do with mating? And why did it make their bonding wrong? He was not _that_ much older than she, just barely less than twice her age. He had known of mated pairs who had _decades_ between them. Whether he was thirteen years her senior or thirty, age shouldn't matter. So why was this such an obstacle for her?

Bra picked up on his confusion and tried to elaborate for him. "In my culture, an individual is not seen as an adult until the age of eighteen. At my age, I do not have many of the rights and privileges that adults on my world have. I do not even have the right to consent to… mating. Even if I gave you my permission, the society of my home world would still view me as a child, too immature and inexperienced to make such a decision on my own."

Raditz understood what Bra was saying, even though he completely disagreed with it. "That is ridiculous!" he declared based on the simple fact that the concept was so foreign compared to his own society's norms. "Your culture has stunted the growth of its young ones with such preposterous laws."

"Perhaps," the blunette replied. "I have been told that my faa had a lot of difficulty adapting to the laws and customs of my planet when he first came to live there. But he has adapted to them over the years. Some, I think, he has come to embrace. As a matter of fact, if he knew that someone twice my age was trying to be my mate, he would probably scorch half of the planet just to ensure such a man never laid a hand on me."

The idea of her super-saiyan daddy chasing Raditz across half of the Earth, ki blasts at the ready, caused a wistful tug to pull at the corner of Bra's mouth. In that moment, thinking of her daddy during such a time of emotional turmoil made her feel ever so lonely. Being in the presence of her father's younger self had helped ease the pain of being without her family, but he wasn't the same person he would later become. He could not be what she needed. Especially not now. Not at a time like this. And she found that she missed her daddy very, very much right then. She longed to be able to run into his safe and secure arms, where he would make everything all better.

Unfortunately, being in such a state of emotional wreckage, Bra had a poor grip on what thoughts and images she allowed to pass through the link she shared with Raditz. He hadn't seen or heard or felt all of what had been going through her mind just then, but he had caught enough. He saw the image of her running towards Vegeta. He felt her longing for him. And he had seen the small grin form on her lips just before this image danced through her mind.

Raditz added this information to her renewed rejection of him and the warning he had earlier received from the prince. He growled in rage as the pieces came together to form a very clear picture, one he had been suspecting for quite some time but had stubbornly found excuses to explain away what he had hoped was simply paranoia. Incorrectly, he came to the conclusion that Bra was indeed attempting to court Prince Vegeta.

Unable to control himself, the saiyan released a ball of ki that had been collecting in his hand. The energy collided with the wall above Bra. She flinched, fearfully, as dust and small debris showered down upon her blue head. She didn't know what had suddenly brought on his wrath, what had triggered him into physical violence.

"This is about Prince Vegeta, is it not?" the long-haired man challenged.

Bra widened her eyes in shock, realizing too late that she had allowed some of her thoughts to leak to Raditz. She immediately reinforced her mental barriers, so much so that she completely blocked him out. _Oh, shit. How much does he know? How much did he see?_ _Did he figure out that Vegeta is my father?_

The girl's reaction, however, only confirmed Raditz's incorrect accusation. Her startled reaction, the scent of a new wave of fear, and the act of suddenly and completely closing herself off from him made her appear tremendously guilty.

"I cannot believe this!" Raditz fumed. "You would forsake our growing bond in order to become Prince Vegeta's mate!"

Okay, _that_ took Bra completely by surprise. _How in the hell did he come up with _that_ idea?_ she wondered as she stared at Raditz with wide eyes. In her shock, she didn't know how to answer, let alone be able to wrap her head around the idea. It was just so sick and _wrong_! But clearly Raditz hadn't figured out her parentage yet, otherwise he'd never have made such an outrageous claim. Again, Bra's silence and shocked appearance convinced Raditz that he had stumbled upon one of her many dark secrets.

"Tell me. Is it true?" he growled. "Or are you such a master manipulator that you can stand there and tell me that that is _not_ your intention, all without revealing your deceit?"

Bra hated that Raditz was putting her under such pressure. She hated herself for having hidden so many things from him and having betrayed his trust so many times that it was now coming back to bite her. There were only two options she had before her; she could either tell him the entire truth and hope that he believed the far-fetched tale… or she could continue to down the path of self-destruction and tell him what he needed to hear in the hopes that she could still salvage events that were yet to come. She took a deep breath and took the plunge.

"I… I love him…" the teenager said with shaky confidence.

Raditz almost missed it. "What?" he gasped, needing to hear it once again to make sure he had heard her right.

With a little bit more strength to her voice, Bra repeated. "I love Prince Vegeta."

Raditz staggered. The idea that the girl was pursuing the prince was hard enough to deal with. To have her confirm her affections for the royal saiyan with her own words was absolutely devastating. He could not hide the pain and shock from his face. Seeing his pain hurt Bra so much, but she had to do it. She had to press onward. She needed something that would drive a wedge between herself and her suitor, and this opportunity could not be passed over. This was the only way she could push Raditz away from her, to make sure she didn't screw up the timeline by becoming his mate.

"I know… it seems silly…" the demi-saiyan said. "The fantasy of a foolish little girl… A fantasy that will never come to be…" She very carefully chose her next words, phrasing them in such a way that they'd have a double meaning so that she could speak truthfully while allowing Raditz to interpret them differently. "Why would Prince Vegeta ever consider someone like me? Even if he knew who… _what_… I am… I know he would not take me as his mate. _Especially_ if he knew the truth. He will never mate a half-breed like me. But that does not change the fact that I love him. And although I know I will never be his mate, I will continue to love him. Forever."

Every word that spilled from Bra's mouth was like poison to Raditz. He couldn't believe she could be so utterly insensitive and cruel. To foolishly discard the relationship she already had with him to pursue one with someone who would never love her in return. And she knew it! Despite this fact, Raditz couldn't let her go. He couldn't give up on her. He wanted to fight for her, to win her back. His instincts demanded it.

The long-haired man phased in front of the girl who was not prepared for him to close the gap so suddenly and quickly. "He will never care for you," Raditz quietly growled into her ear. "Not as I do."

Taking a leap of faith, Raditz pressed his lips against Bra's. He spoke his desperation to her through the caress of his lips on hers. He gently tried to coax her to return the kiss, but she was too shocked to respond at first. Eventually, she was brought out of her shell-shock. Experiencing the sensation of his velvety lips as they drew in her bottom lip, she couldn't stop herself from reciprocating. Gently, she pulled Raditz's upper lip into her mouth, nibbling on the soft flesh and stroking it with her tongue and teeth. Feeling like she was floating on a bed of clouds, she allowed herself to be lost in the moment. But that moment lasted only very briefly before she timidly withdrew from him.

When Bra extracted herself from the kiss, Raditz allowed her to. The semi-chaste contact had stolen his breath away. Despite having been with many women before in his life, he had never before shared something so deeply intimate, and yet, sacredly innocent. Keeping his eyes closed, he pressed his forehead against hers and relished in the memory of their first kiss. The experience renewed his hope, giving him a small amount of faith that he could change her mind.

"Please," he whispered. "Don't throw this away."

Another set of fresh tears spilled down Bra's cheeks. To hear the utter pain and desperation in Raditz's voice was breaking her heart so much. She realized that she really did care for Raditz. She wanted to take it all back, to make it right, to ease his heart. But she couldn't. She couldn't be so selfish. To undo the damage she had just created would mean putting her wants and desires over the needs of the universe, the timeline, and the future existence as she knew it.

Bra gently pushed Raditz away, and he reluctantly complied. "I sorry," she said. "I know Vegeta will not love me like you do. But that does not change how I feel about him. It never will."

Raditz felt like he had been punched in the gut. He slammed his fist into the wall to the right of Bra's head, causing her to flinch yet again. "Do not do this to me, Bulla! If I have not proven myself worthy of you, please allow me to do so. I will do whatever it takes to win your favor. I will protect you. I will fight for you. I will die for you if I must! But please do not throw your life away to someone who will not treat you as an equal! It does not matter to me if you are a pureblood, a half-breed, or not a saiyan at all. If you were to reveal to me that you are half-arcosian, I would not be bothered in the least. I would care for you just as deeply."

Bra grimaced. This was not going well. Raditz's persistence was a testament to his unyielding commitment to her. The more he resisted her rejections, the more difficult it became to push him away. What more could she do to convince him to give up on her?

The teen realized that she was approaching this wrong. She was treating this situation with the mentality of a naïve, human girl, trying to convince him with words that they couldn't be together. She needed to assert her rejection in the ways of a saiyan. She had tried this approach once before, but Raditz had brushed it aside. Would he be more accepting now if she tried to force him away? Or would he ignore her protests once again? Unfortunately, she hadn't the physical strength to make an attempt. There _was_ one other option she was left with that she could use to drive him away, but it would be extremely risky. And it would torment her to do it.

Bra steeled herself for what she had no other choice but to do. She thought of her daddy, imagined how he would have handled such a situation, and drew strength from that. _I have be brave. I have to be strong. I have to do this. I am the princess of all saiyans. And I will not be coerced or take orders from someone who is less my station!_

From out of nowhere, Raditz felt a very strong presence press down on him. It pushed inward from all directions, commanding him to submit, demanding his obedience. It was so strong, he felt himself slip away from Bra and crumple to his knees. He recognized the sensation as the Call of the Alpha. It was an ability that Prince Vegeta had used on him only very rarely, in times when it was absolutely necessary to have his complete and utter obedience.

The Call of the Alpha was an ability that asserted a saiyan's dominance over his or her people. Only the strongest saiyans with the strongest minds inherited the ability, an ability that, prior to the Saiyan-Tsufuru War, had been passed down the generations from a chieftain (or chiefta) to his (or her) heirs. Even after the great-tribes had been disbanded, the descendants of the former chieftains and chieftas continued to inherit the ability. But, having forfeited their dominance to Chieftain Vegeta (the young leader who would unite the saiyans, lead them to victory over the tsufuru, and eventually become their first King), these lords and ladies no longer possessed the ability quite as strongly as those among the royal family.

Feeling this forceful presence on his mind, body, and soul, Raditz initially feared that Prince Vegeta had arrived to check up on them and had caught the two of them in what appeared to be a very compromising position. The long-haired saiyan was afraid that he had been so quickly caught defying his prince's orders and he feared that this sudden presence bearing down on him was only the beginning of his punishment. But Vegeta was nowhere in sight. And this led to Raditz's confusion. That is, until his eyes fell on Bra. The blue-haired girl, who had only a moment ago been a vulnerable, sniffling, emotional mess, was now a strong, confident, and stoic force that was not to be reckoned with.

Suddenly afraid and confused, Raditz simply asked, "Bulla?"

The girl's response came in the form of another, heavier wave of submission pressing down on him. He found he couldn't keep his head up under such pressure. Not that he could bear looking into her cold, fiery blue eyes any longer, anyway.

With a voice that demanded no argument, Bra declared, "As of this moment, our courtship is over, Raditz. I am stripping you of your right to continue pursuing me and of the right to claim me as your mate. If you refuse to acknowledge this command, then I shall be forced to strip you of all of your saiyan rights and you shall be banished. Have I made myself clear, third-class?"

"Y-yes," Raditz choked out. To his relief, the suffocating dominance over him lifted as soon as the word left his mouth. Feeling broken and betrayed, humiliated and confused, there was only one question he could mutter. "Who _are_ you?"

Bra took a moment before she answered. "I am the descendant of one of the last chieftains of our people. I will not divulge to you the identity of the house to which I belong, nor even the great-tribe from which I descend. This information is of no use to you as you are beneath knowing."

Slowly, silently, Raditz rose to his feet. But he didn't look at Bra. _Couldn't_ look at her. Everything had suddenly become so clear. She was more than just the daughter of an elite warrior. She was the daughter of a super-elite, a lady of one of the nine noble houses. Well, _eight_ if the royal house was taken out of the equation since she couldn't _possibly_ be a daughter of House Vegetus. It was no small wonder then, why she would be so insistent in pursuing Prince Vegeta as her mate. Being born from such a high status in saiyan culture, it was almost her birthright to be mated to someone of equal or higher standing. At least she was smart enough to know that her half-breed heritage would be a major obstacle in her pursuit of the prince. Despite the impurity of her blood, Raditz knew that he, himself, would never be worthy of her. Though she had treated him as her equal for so long, the truth had finally reared its ugly head – she would never truly see him as such. Or so he believed.

Defeated and grief-stricken, Raditz turned away from Bra. He took a few steps before suddenly pausing. Over his shoulder, he quietly said, "I think I found a compatible latch for Nappa's pod. You will find it in an access panel in the damaged machine back there."

And without another word between the two of them, Raditz launched himself upward, crashing through the ceiling during his hasty ascent, too much in a hurry to put distance between the two of them to bother using the door. Bra could feel him quickly flying away, but not in the direction of the other two saiyans. He likely needed some time to be alone, some time to come to terms with everything that had just transpired between the two of them.

Eventually, Bra turned away from the hole in the ceiling and began the slow, numb trek towards the back of the factory. Along the way, she reclaimed the broken latch from Nappa's pod, the one that Raditz had earlier discarded during the moments he had succumbed to his inner instincts. Bra fiddled with the broken hardware, slowly passing it from one had to the other as she vacantly searched for the damaged machine Raditz had referred to. She was distracted by her thoughts, replaying the entire situation over and over and over again in her mind, wondering if she had handled the situation properly, imagining what the outcome might have been had she made different decisions.

Despite her troubled thoughts, the teenager found the broken machine and the access panel. Sure enough, the latch was a close enough match. But she felt no celebration of success, no moment of joy. Her sadness and guilt over what she had just done to Raditz made her too sick to feel any shred of satisfaction. And she knew she deserved what she was feeling, for she had put Raditz through far worse while doing what she had done to him. Tears of sorrow and despair filled her eyes, making the task of removing the replacement latch very slow and difficult. By the time she had freed the hardware from its former home, she could no longer keep her emotions bottled up.

She crumpled to the ground and sobbed. She let everything out all at once. Heart wrenching wails echoed off of the distant factory walls. They sounded like the ghostly embodiment of months of loneliness and loss and, now, of remorse and heartbreak.

* * *

**Story Note(s):  
**In case any of you should wonder, the four metals described in the story are as follows: (1) Aluminum (the lightweight metal), (2) Lead (the one Bra identified correctly but with uncertainty), (3) Tungsten (the heavy, brittle metal that was used for makeshift tools), and (4) Platinum (the metal chosen for the hulls). Their names are not used in the story because Bra lacks the tools needed to precisely measure their properties in order to correctly identify them.

_Tri-wing screwdriver_ or _triangular slotted screwdriver_ – the end looks like a triangle with a 'wing' extending from each point.  
_faa_ – a shortening of the word _father_ in saiyashi, sort of acts like a term of endearment. The equivalent would be using the word _daddy_ in human common.  
_Call of the Alpha_ – basically it is how it's described in the chapter; an ability very few saiyans inherit (specifically those who are descended from the former leaders of the dissolved great-tribes), it asserts the user's will upon one or multiple subordinates.  
_Great-tribes, Chieftains, Houses, etc._ – I hope that the vague details in this chapter is enough to give a basic understanding of how I imagine their society. If not, here's a brief synopsis. (Some who have read my incomplete fic _Under the Burning Sun_ should be familiar with this.)  
The following is not to be confused with canon.  
_Before the Saiyan-Tsufuru War, the saiyans lived on Planet Plant in primitive tribal communities called _great-tribes_. There were nine in total, plus a tenth tribeless group known as _wastelanders_ who were exiled from their tribes and banished to an inhospitable region known as _the wastelands_. Each great-tribe, divided into _clans_, was led by a _chieftain_ (male) or, in rare cases, a _chiefta_ (female). This was the structure of their society for centuries.  
Then the tsufuru came. The tsufuru, with their advanced technology, slowly and efficiently pushed the saiyans off of their fertile lands, terraforming it suit their own needs. In most cases, saiyans who didn't flee in time were either killed or enslaved.  
As referenced in this chapter, Vegeta I (who would later become King) united the saiyan great-tribes and led them to victory. At this point, King Vegeta decided to keep the saiyans united as one people, dissolving the nine great-tribes. (Most great-tribes were already devastated beyond repair due to the tsufuru invasion anyhow.) The clans that once made up the tribes were recognized as _houses_ from that point onward. To keep the former chieftains/chieftas appeased, they were given titles of nobility, becoming _lords _and _ladies_ of their own _noble houses_. King Vegeta then made his own clan the one and only _royal house_ and renamed the planet in his name._

On a final note, I'm just so happy to have finally gotten to this chapter. The scene between Bra and Raditz has been brewing since this story's conception. Their kiss was not originally intended, but at the last minute, I decided to throw it in there. This scene is a critical turning point between the two of them and it also marks the halfway point of this story.


	17. Lesson Seventeen

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Seventeen  
Ki Manipulation_

_ After having taught me how to sense ki and how to control my physical strength, Daddy decided that it was time for me to learn how to manipulate and control my ki. Because I was still so very young at the time – only four years of age – and having only recently mastered the first two skills, I was very apprehensive about creating potentially deadly balls and beams of energy. I was afraid that I'd do it wrong and something terrible would happen as a result. Fortunately, for this lesson, Daddy had taken me far beyond the limits of West City… just in case._

_ "What if I make my ki too strong?" I asked Daddy. "What if it blows up when I try ta make it?"_

_ "That is why it is imperative that you learn how to do it correctly," Daddy said._

_ I was only further dismayed. "But I don' wanna learn how ta ki fight."_

_ "This isn't so much about teaching you ki attacks," he corrected. "It's about teaching you how to control your ki so that you don't accidentally injure yourself or others. You may not want to access your ki out of fear that you'll not be able to control it, but if you refuse to learn, then it will undoubtedly get the better of you one day."_

_ "But… if I don' wanna use my ki, den I won'."_

_ Daddy gave me a soft smile. "Girl, one way or another, your ki will eventually find its way to the surface. You have the blood of a saiyan. And you _are_ your mother's daughter. There will come a time that that temper you've inherited from your mother will get the better of you. And when it does, that ki of yours will come bubbling forth. It's best you learn how to manage your ki before that time comes."_

_ I couldn't argue with Daddy. The simple and unreasonable logic of my toddler years was no match for Daddy's experience and foresight. Giving in, I sat back down in front of the small pile of tinder that he had placed before me at the start of this lesson. I closed my eyes, and began to concentrate on the energy inside me. Very slowly, I coerced a small portion of this energy away from my core, drawing it into the space between my hands._

_ "Very good," Daddy encouraged. "Now remember… don't use too much ki, and don't be afraid to use too little. Too much and the wood will be blasted into ash. Too little and you'll have no effect."_

_ Though outwardly I gave no sign of acknowledgement, I listened closely to his words. When I felt that I had gathered a sufficient amount of ki, I opened my eyes. Focusing on the pile of tinder, I aimed the glowing ball of aqua-colored energy and released it. The ki ball shot towards the tinder, nearly missing it. But it had made just enough contact that small flames burst from the ends of some of wood._

_ "Nicely done. You're improving," Daddy replied. _

_ I wanted to be happy for his praise, but I didn't have as much faith in myself as he did. The flames I had created weren't very strong and within a few seconds, they died out. This didn't deter Daddy from pushing me along._

_ "Create a ball with a little more energy this time," he advised. "And take your time to aim, if you need it. Precision is just as important as strength when utilizing your ki."_

_ With a small sigh, I nodded and gave it another try. Over the following weeks, I became better and better at manipulating my ki. Even after I felt that I had a good grasp on the ability, Daddy insisted that I continue practicing. Eventually, I learned that no one ever really masters ki manipulation. It is a lifelong endeavor. One can learn how to do it, but the possible methods of utilizing one's ki is vast and endless. Even to this day, in my old age, I see new and innovative ways in which my children and grandchildren have learned to exercise their life energy._

_~ from The Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Age 759, Fourth Galactic Quarter, Day 89 (Approx. 21 December, 759)  
Location: the fourth planet of an unexplored solar system

The saiyan with the long, spiky hair hovered several hundred feet above the ground, surveying the barren landscape where wind and water had shaped the land over several millennia, carving dozens of hoodoos and other rocky formations out of the bedrock beneath them. He chose his next target carefully, and once one had been selected, he called upon his ki. He felt his life energy surge from deep within him, felt it flow into his arms, felt it pool in his palms. The red power engulfed his hands life a dangerous, ethereal fire.

Suddenly and without warning, he flexed his hands in the direction of his predetermined target. The tall structure of rock exploded in a cloud of dust, dirt, and debris. A deep shockwave reverberated through the air. In the aftermath of the blast, all that was left was chunks of shattered earth littering the ground. Thousands and thousands of years for nature to carve such a beautiful and intricate structure… A thousandth of a second to destroy it.

The vision of such senseless destruction did nothing to ease Raditz's troubled heart and mind. Dozens of these hoodoos had faced his wrath on this evening and lost. And still he felt no better. His thoughts lingered on the incident that had earlier occurred between himself and Bra. The onset of her fertile phase, his almost claiming her as his mate, their passionate first kiss, and her brutal and heartless rejection. He clenched his fists. He ground his teeth. His tail snapped to and fro. All of these telltale signs only hinted at the frustration and anger he felt in that moment.

Raditz found it so difficult to understand and accept what had happened between himself and Bra. His instincts had chosen her as his mate. He had been convinced that hers had chosen him as well. Everything up until that incident indicated that they were meant to belong to each other. Otherwise, they would not have so easily fallen into the courting rituals. And he would not have so easily been intoxicated by the fragrance of her approaching fertility. So how was it possible that she was able to reject him so easily? So ruthlessly?

The method the blunette chose to reject him was, by far, more painful than the rejection itself. She had chosen a dirty and underhanded tactic. She _knew_ that he'd have no choice but to comply to her commands. Her will demanded that he did so! She had given him no choice! No opinion! No opportunity to object! And the fact that she had the ability at all was yet another example of how she had continuously deceived him. She had deliberately hidden this fact from him. Although he realized she had likely done so to protect her identity, he couldn't help but wonder if she might have also done this so that she had a secret skill to use as a weapon against him. She certainly didn't seem to have had any qualms about using it when the opportunity had presented itself.

The girl's betrayal left a nasty taste in Raditz's mouth, like lingering bile. Worse than that was the physical pain of her rejection. He felt a deep, sharp pain inside his core, like a jagged knife being jabbed upward from underneath his ribcage. Every time he thought of Bra, the beast within him would rage, and the pain would worsen. The pain drained him of his strength and will, as if nothing in the universe was worthy of his time and energy. It left him feeling apathetic. He wished for the ache to end, but feared that it never would. He could only hope that, with time, it would lessen to a more tolerable level.

At least Raditz knew a little more about the enigmatic girl. He now knew that she was the descendant of one of the last nine chieftains, which meant she belonged to one of eight noble houses (excluding the royal house, he rationalized, because it was impossible that she had descended from House Vegetus). He couldn't help but to try to figure out to which house she belonged. Because the members of the noble houses were once like celebrities, he knew who most of these saiyans were. But even after eliminating those who couldn't possibly be her father – too old, too young, etc. – Raditz still couldn't narrow the possibilities down far enough to have discovered her lineage. He soon gave up on the endeavor. He'd otherwise go insane trying, and failing, to figure it out. Instead, he settled with finally learning _why_ her ki level had been so high when she had fought Prince Vegeta… her lineage was the explanation.

Thinking of Bra's lineage, Raditz's mind came back around to the feelings of hurt and betrayal. _How could Bulla have hidden this part of her identity from me? Why did she not tell me that she was of a noble class when she first revealed to me that she was, in part, a saiyan? Did she choose to keep this to herself so that she may use it against me later? Or did she hide this so that she could gain my trust with greater ease? So that she could take advantage of me? To use me to suit her own needs and desires? Did she know my connections to Prince Vegeta this entire time and agree to accompany me so that she might eventually come face-to-face with him? Is that all I was to her? A means to an end?_

As these thoughts rolled around in Raditz's mind, he couldn't prevent the anger and resentment from building up inside him. He felt his hatred for her growing into an ugly monster. He hated her because she had so easily deceived him time and time again. He hated her because she had taken his kindness and thrown it back at him. He hated her for the way she had taken advantage of him. He hated her because she had lured him in, only to crush him in the end when she had no more use of him. He hated her because she had savagely forced her will upon him. And most of all, he hated her because, despite all she had done to him, he still loved her.

* * *

After Raditz had left Bra alone in the abandoned factory, she had broken down and had the hardest cry she had had in a very long time. Everything she had gone through over the past six months had weighed so heavily on her. Rejecting Raditz so forcefully and putting him through such pain and suffering had pushed her beyond her limits. As she dealt with the shame and guilt for having been so cruel to her suitor, she never wished so badly to have her daddy with her at that moment. Knowing that her father's past counterpart was only two miles away and not being able to seek comfort from him only exacerbated her pain.

Eventually, the teenager ran out of tears to shed and she picked herself up off of the dusty factory floor. She reclaimed the two latches – one broken from Nappa's pod, the other scavenged from one of the factory machines – and headed towards the exit. Once outside, she found that her ki was too depleted to fly. Thus began the start of a two mile hike. And that was okay with her. She needed time to herself anyhow. Time to think. Time to relax. Time to calm her tumultuous emotions before she faced her saiyan companions.

Fortunately for Bra, the trek back to the pods was a short and uneventful one. She located her father's and Nappa's ki signatures and headed in their direction. With most of the vegetation half-dead or unable to grow to great heights, there wasn't much of it to navigate around. At one point, she came across the remains of a small wooded area, but the trees had died long ago and were all too easy to navigate. The hardest part of her journey was a small ravine she had to cross. A mere twenty feet deep or so, it was the remains of an extinct river. Without her ki to help her, it was only a slight challenge to climb down one bank and back up the other. In the end, it added only a few minutes to her roughly forty minute hike.

During this time, the blunette dwelled upon the encounter back at the factory. Guilt continued to plague her as she touched her fingers to her lips, remembering the velvety texture of Raditz's lips on her own. _Did I do the right thing?_ she sadly wondered. _Should I have asserted myself the way I did? I feel so horrible for forcing Raditz to submit to me. Maybe I shouldn't have done that. Maybe I should have just tried talking to him some more. Maybe he would have eventually understood._ She could feel her nose tickle and new tears fill her eyes as her misery grew. The harder she tried not to cry, the harder it became to stop her tears. _I wish… I just wish I could talk to Momma or Daddy. Even Trunks would do. I hate feeling so alone…_

_Well, then, it's a good thing _I'm_ still around…_

Bra grimaced at the return of that nagging voice inside her head. _Great,_ she woefully lamented. _To whom do I owe for the pleasure of having _your_ company again?_

_ Hmmm… I suppose you owe the debt to yourself._

_ What do you mean by that?_

_ Well… I _am_ a figment of your subconscious mind._

The halfling scoffed. _That's redonkulous. If you were a figment of my subconscious mind, then I could choose when to hear your opinions or not. Like right now. I don't need or want to hear from you right now. I think I'd rather be alone than to listen to you._

_ Ah, but don't you see? You _do_ need me right now. You practically invited me._

Bra rolled her eyes. _As if. _ _How do you figure?_

_ Well, you pretty much kicked Raditz out of your mind. You have so many mental blockades surrounding you right now that you're more isolated than a prisoner in solitary confinement. How long do you suppose you can stay sane without having someone in here with you?_

_ What are you talking about?_ the teen demanded.

_I thought it was rather obvious… You're a saiyan. Well, _half_-saiyan anyway. But that doesn't make you any less social or telepathic than a full-blooded saiyan. We of the saiyan blood require companionship, don't you know, especially through our various telepathic bonds._

Bra understood. _And the only person in this era that I have a bond with is Raditz, who I've completely blocked off._

_ Exactly._

The blue-haired girl sighed. _That's fantabulous._

_ Speaking of Raditz, by the way, you did what you had to do._

_ No, I was a complete and utter bitch. I shouldn't have gone alpha on him._

_ Would you rather have had him take you as his mate? Would you have preferred being irrevocably bonded to him? We're talking life-bond here. As in permanent. As in forever. What do you suppose would happen to you when you return to the future if you had bonded with him like that? That is, if you manage to keep the timeline from shifting. Do you have any idea the psychological repercussions you might have to endure when you go back to your time and the bond you share with Raditz is suddenly and unnaturally severed?_

_ No, but I suppose _you_ do, _Bra challenged.

_Well, no, not quite. But I imagine that it isn't pretty. And besides. There _is_ that other thing…_

_ What other thing?_

_ The fact that you'd probably return to the future with Raditz's baby in your belly if you _had_ mated him earlier._

The teenager was extremely skeptical. _Yeah, right! As _if_ that would happen! What would you know about it anyway?_

_ Duh! Did you miss the part where Raditz said he could _smell_ your fertility? What did you think he meant when he said that you _smelled_ of Mele's Gift? That you smelled like a bouquet of roses or something? Like a pretty little box with a pretty little ribbon on it? Sorry to say it, honey, but your little baby-maker is kicking it into full gear and Raditz was all over it like a bloodhound. It would have been a guaranteed thing if you had let him in your pants, cuz I doubt very much that these saiyans have any clue what a condom is._

_ "_Okay! I get it!" Bra snapped out loud to herself, releasing some pent-up frustration. Despite the fact that she was having the conversation with herself, she could feel a hot blush creep up her cheeks.

The voice was silent for a moment before finally responding. _Good. I'm glad that you do. Now stop feeling so sorry for yourself. Cuz you're a long way from getting out of the woods. If you can't handle this minor little setback, then I don't know _how_ you'll make it back home._

_ I still think that I shouldn't have been so hard on Raditz._

_ Honey, you couldn't possibly have been less subtle with him. You can't blame yourself for his refusal to accept your rejection. He gave you no other choice._

Bra grumbled, "Still doesn't mean that I don't feel bad about it."

The girl waited for some sort of snappy rebuttal, but the nagging voice inside her head had grown quiet. And that was just as well, because at that moment, she had crested one of the several small hills that overlooked the small hamlet that she and her fellow saiyans had decided to occupy for the duration of their stay on this dead world. She realized then, that the inner dialogue she had exchanged with herself had been somewhat therapeutic. Her emotions were substantially more stable than they had been before she had begun her hike. And although her eyes were still bloodshot and dry, and although her face was still puffy and blotchy, her tears had pretty much come to an end.

As Bra approached the crossroad in the center of the little settlement, with the four saiyan pods at the center and piles of scrap metal scattered about, her attention was immediately drawn to the two saiyans. They were no longer working on Vegeta's pod, so she correctly concluded that the repairs to the hull had been completed during her absence.

Currently, the prince was lounging in a chair on the tavern's front patio and had his attention focused on his holoscreen. Nappa, on the other hand, had found himself a means of working out, by using a massive chunk of rock as a weight to do repetitions above his head. The girl noted that he had removed almost all of his armor during his weight-lifting and was clad in nothing more than his shorts, which really covered nothing more than a pair of underwear. Once again, she found herself blushing a deep crimson. As she made her way towards his pod, she made certain to keep her eyes averted.

Nappa, of course, didn't miss Bra's sudden arrival. "Ah, so the little wench returns! It's about damn time, too! What took ya so long?"

Bra refused to answer, having been through too much emotionally for one evening to bother with the mustachioed man's goading.

Nappa threw his boulder to the side; the rock smashing onto the ground with a loud 'thud-crunch.' "What's the matter, wench? Don't tell me ya couldn't find somethin' to fix my pod!"

The girl sighed in frustration, realizing he wouldn't leave her be unless she answered. "No. I have one here."

The blunette continued on towards the giant's pod without so much as a glance in his direction. She immediately began working on securing the new latch into the empty spot where the old latch had once been housed. Because the day was drawing to a close, the remaining vestiges of light made Bra's task difficult to see what she was doing. And since she still hadn't recovered much of her ki, she once again had to rely on the flashlight function of her smart-watch in order to see what she was doing.

Nappa, of course, still refused to trust the teen enough to let her work on his pod without his direct supervision. So he stomped his way over to his pod to join her. Although Bra wasn't thrilled by the bald man's close proximity, she ignored him and her discomfort as she went about the repair. More than anything, she hoped that he wouldn't notice the state of her recent distress. The last thing she needed was to explain the entire ordeal that had just gone down between herself and Raditz. However, that hope was short-lived.

Nappa watched Bra like a hawk as she screwed the latch into place. All too soon, he picked up on the lingering salty odor surrounding her and his eyes were drawn to her face. He saw the evidence of her recent upset. He couldn't help himself. He catapulted on the opportunity to rile her up.

"What the hell happened to ya, wench?" the giant sneered. Noticing the absence of one of their squad, he added, "Aw… Did you and Raditz have yerselves a little lovers' spat?"

"Go fuck yourself, Nappa," Bra snapped, turning to glare at him despite her earlier desire to hide her tear-stained face.

Realizing he had struck a chord, the bald saiyan relished in the girl's pain. "Ya _did_ have a lovers' quarrel with him, didn't ya? Let me guess! He finally tried to bed ya and ya weren't woman enough to handle a saiyan! Is that it? Right?"

From his seat on the tavern patio on other side of the intersection, Vegeta glanced up from his holoscreen, but didn't move otherwise. His attention had been grabbed by Nappa's wild accusation. He watched the girl's reaction, and seeing her suddenly tense up, he deduced that the general wasn't far from the truth. The prince sneered in agitation. If Nappa's theory was indeed true, then Vegeta would be very angry with a certain third-class saiyan and his blatant disobedience of a direct order.

Also noticing Bra's stiff reaction, Nappa guffawed. "He _did_, didn't he? Judgin' by the smell of Raditz's musk comin' off of ya, I'd say he was all over ya!"

No sooner than those words came tumbling out of Nappa's mouth did Vegeta discard his holoscreen and phase across the intersection. In a whirl of movement, Bra found herself spun around and her back shoved against the doorway of Nappa's pod. For the second time that evening, she was pinned with her back to a wall. She was helpless to stop her father from his very invasive inspection of her.

Vegeta leaned in towards Bra and drew in the scents lingering on her form. Among the smells of her tears, her oncoming fertility, and her sudden nervousness, Raditz's pungent odor clung to her like a second skin. _So the third-class _was_ in very close proximity with the girl,_ he observed. And based on the scent of Raditz's arousal all over her, the prince could clearly infer what the long-haired man's intentions had been.

The royal saiyan man roughly grabbed the teenager's chin between his thumb and forefinger. He jerked her head to the left, inspecting the flesh on her neck. When he found it unblemished, he wrenched her head to the right to examine the other side. He froze when he saw the dark purple, oval shaped bruise forming at the apex of her neck and shoulder. Even though her flesh had not been penetrated by teeth, it was clear that she had so nearly been marked.

Angry at Raditz's disobedience, Vegeta tore himself away from Bra. Believing that the girl didn't speak saiyashi, he barked in his native tongue, "That fucking idiot! He did not simply attempt to bed this girl! He attempted to make her his moonbride! And, if her species is compatible with ours, he would have likely whelped a cub on her!"

In disbelief, Nappa grabbed hold of Bra's chin and roughly turned it to the side to see the evidence for himself. To Bra's extreme discomfort, the bald man leaned in and drew a deep breath, scenting her fertility. She did nothing to stop his manhandling of her, having no idea what else she could do since she was without her ki to defend herself. After the mustachioed man was satisfied with his examination, he released her. Freed from his grasp, Bra delicately brought her shaky hands to her neck. Apprehensively, her eyes darted back and forth between the two saiyan men as they continued to exchange words in saiyashi.

"But… how _could_ he?" Nappa asked. "By your father's decree, it is taboo to take a mate that is not saiyan."

"Evidently, Raditz no longer has a taste for following orders. It is fortunate for him and this girl that he was, for some reason, unable to complete the mating bond." Vegeta clenched his fists as he lost himself in thought. _How did this girl manage to stop him? Even for a non-saiyan, the call of Raditz's instincts would have been too much for her to ignore. So how did she manage not to reciprocate what he had initiated? Does she possess some sort of skill or ability that allowed her to thwart Raditz's advances?_ he wondered as he looked at her distrustfully.

Nappa growled. "If I may speak freely, Prince Vegeta. I believe this has gone far enough. The wench is clearly a liability. She ought to be exterminated, as soon as she has repaired our pods."

While Vegeta could agree with his general that the girl definitely came with risks, he also couldn't deny that her usefulness remained plentiful. "No. Not yet," he finally drawled. "She is still far too great an asset, despite the inconveniences."

The bald saiyan wasn't pleased with this answer, but was wise not to argue with his prince. "And what of Raditz? Do you wish for me to retrieve him so he might be punished for his transgression?"

The prince sneered. Certainly his instincts demanded that the third-class be punished for his blatant disobedience and for being so willing to violate one of the former king's strictest laws. But he refrained himself.

"No, Nappa. Leave the third-class be for now. No punishment I can deal to him can compare to the punishment he has already wrought upon himself."

"Sire?" the giant prodded for clarity.

Vegeta grinned darkly. "Raditz attempted to make this girl his life-mate, which she clearly refused. The turmoil his instincts are experiencing right now after having been denied by his chosen one is far worse than any form of physical torture. Right now, he is his own worst enemy. When he chooses to return, I will most certainly deal with his transgressions then."

A smug smile stretched across Nappa's face as understanding came over him. "Serves the low-class trash right for being so stupid. He should have just fucked her and been done with her and then none of this would have happened."

Switching back to galactic standard, Vegeta ordered the teenager, "Finish the repairs." Without another word, he dismissed himself and thus ended his discussion with Nappa.

Shaken by the entire ordeal and the conversation in saiyashi that she had easily understood, Bra didn't immediately return to her task. Instead, she kept her eyes locked onto the back of Vegeta's retreating form as he retrieved his discarded holoscreen and returned to his chair. Too much had been said and done in the past few hours for her to be able to comprehend and process the conversation shared by the two men. Everything that had happened that evening left her tired and overtaxed mind in an overwhelming haze.

"Well, what the hell are ya waitin' for?" Nappa barked, pulling the girl out of her stupor. "The prince told ya to get back to work, so get workin'!"

Bra spared the giant a long, scathing glare before finally turning away from him to complete the installation of the new latch. As soon as she was done, she retired to her own pod, shutting herself off from the outside world. Isolation and sleep were what she needed most. After initializing the emergency healing system in her pod, she settled in for a much needed night of rest. At first, sleep alluded her, so she activated the hibernation device to help her, setting it to wake her at dawn. The drugs took effect very quickly. The last thought that crossed Bra's mind was her concern for Raditz and Vegeta's cryptic words. _"Right now, he is his own worst enemy."_ She hoped that her actions that day didn't have irreparable damage on the psyche of her would-be suitor.

* * *

Between himself, Nappa, and Bra, Vegeta was the last to retire for the evening. He continued to busy himself by looking over course plots, mission logs, intel, and other such information pertaining to upcoming assignments. But he could only look over these things so many times before they grew weary on him. He closed all the mission files he had been staring at on his holoscreeen.

Not yet tired, the royal saiyan flipped through the device's interface, pulling up a hidden and thrice encrypted folder. Should anyone have been able to find and decode the folder and its files, they'd have a hard time understanding them as its contents were written solely in tech-ettu, the ancient language of the tech-eshu people. The language was so very rarely used outside of Planet Tech-Tech that it was almost a complete secret to non-speakers.

Vegeta selected the file with the most recent date, one from almost a full galactic year ago. It was a message from his younger brother Tarble, one of dozens the older prince had received from the younger over the years. This letter, in particular, Vegeta had read countless times, on nights such as these, when there was little else to do to occupy his mind.

To protect his whereabouts, Tarble always sent his communications anonymously across the intergalactic airwaves, and always encoded. Still, Vegeta knew they were from his brother. Fortunately, in the very rare chance that anyone should be able to decipher the communiqués, there was nothing contained within that was too revealing. Most of Tarble's letters were of the type that basically said "hello" and "how are you?" and "I'm doing well" and, to Vegeta's chagrin, "I wish we see could each other one day." Despite all the attempts Tarble made at contacting his older sibling, Vegeta never wrote back. It was risky enough receiving the messages. He couldn't add to that risk by writing back. Besides, the elder brother found the letters to be too full of sentimentalities anyway.

Deciding to call it a night, Vegeta shut down his holoscreen. As he began to warm up for some light exercises – exercises that would hopefully tire him out enough for a dreamless sleep – he heard the sound of a set of feet making contact with the ground nearby. Although night had already fallen and there wasn't a single star whose light was bright enough to penetrate the thick clouds overhead, Vegeta could still see well enough to decipher Raditz's form in the darkness. A menacing grin spread across the prince's face knowing that the opportunity to punish the third-class saiyan had finally arrived.

"So you have finally decided to grace us with your presence," the prince drawled as he approached his subordinate. At about ten feet from the other man, he stopped and crossed his arms over his chest as he waited for an answer.

Raditz was not surprised by Vegeta or the interrogation. He had picked up the prince's active energy signal on his scouter as he approached their camp. And he suspected that his prolonged absence would be questioned. Although unsurprised, Raditz was very agitated. Seeing the man who represented his direct and immediate competition, the long-haired man wasn't inclined to converse with the prince at the moment. So he chose to say nothing.

Vegeta noticed the visible evidence of the taller man's irritation in the form of his tail curling and uncurling at the tip. He goaded, "Why the miserable look, third-class? Do not tell me that you are still pining over the girl… who apparently wants nothing to do with you."

The tip of Raditz's tail lashed harder as he took the prince's scorn. Even though he appeared annoyed, Raditz's voice was calm as he replied, "I see that Bulla took no time to report my actions to you. I thought perhaps that she would have kept the matter between she and I, but apparently I was mistaken. I am not surprised that she would tattle to you, however. Merely disappointed."

The royal saiyan smirked. "The girl need not have told us a thing. As a matter of fact, she said nothing to us of the subject. The fact that your _stink_ was all over her was enough to betray the treason you had nearly committed."

A startled look suddenly overcame the long-haired man. "T-treason? Surely that is too harsh of a word…"

"You deliberately disobeyed me, Raditz," Vegeta harshly interrupted. His dangerous grin dropped into an even deadlier scowl. "I warned you against fraternizing with that girl. Instead, you made an attempt at taking her as your mate. Do you take me for a fool? Did you think I would not notice?"

Raditz averted his eyes. "N-no, Prince Vegeta. I do not."

Vegeta took a few hostile steps forward as he demanded, "Then why did you defy my orders? Did you believe that I would not have minded your disobedience? Do you think, for a moment, that I would have allowed you to have the girl as your moonbride? Perhaps you thought I would give you my blessing? Tch! As long as I can help it, you will never have her!"

Taking the royal saiyan's words as a threat and a claim on the girl, the long-haired man bared his teeth and _snarled_ at his squad leader. He crouched down and balled his fists aggressively. His tail completely unfurled from his waist and snapped back and forth like a cracking whip. The brown fur had puffed out, doubling the tail's thickness.

A devilish smirk spread across Vegeta's face as he took in Raditz's posture. "Do not tell me that you are actually _challenging_ me for the right to mate the girl!" he called out in a tone that revealed his mirth and disbelief. Vegeta was stunned and amused that Raditz would even think that he, the prince of all saiyans, had a sexual interest in some oddly-colored girl. He was even more surprised and entertained by the idea that the third-class man thought there existed the possibility of defeating him in a fight. The prince let out a loud cackle as such preposterous notions flitted through his mind.

When Raditz's only response to Vegeta's taunt was an expression that grew increasingly feral, the prince goaded, "Well, come on then! Let us see if you are worthy of having that girl as your mate!"

Raditz needed no further encouragement. He launched himself at Vegeta at breakneck speed. Unfortunately for him, the prince was much faster. As the long-haired man came within striking distance, his opponent struck out with an attack of his own. Vegeta's fist connected with Raditz's ribcage which sent him flying backwards by dozens of yards. The blow was not an incapacitating one, however, as the royal saiyan was merely toying with his subordinate.

Raditz quickly recovered and went on the offensive once again. He attacked Vegeta with a series of wild jabs, kicks, and swipes. The prince easily dodged each and every one, taking delight in every one of Raditz's failed attempts to land a blow. Vegeta knew that with every missed opportunity, Raditz was growing increasingly more aggressive, more careless, and more feral. This only amused the prince further, to see his subordinate lose himself to his less rational, bestial nature.

There was a mindless glaze in the third-class man's eyes. Saliva seemed to foam at his mouth. His skin was slick with sweat. There was only one thought in his mind: destroy the one who would attempt to take away his chosen one. There were no more rational thoughts in his mind; no realization that his opponent was more than a dozen times stronger than himself, no fear that his life might end with this foolish endeavor, no acknowledgement that he had already lost the right to claim the girl as his own. He was driven purely by instinct and bloodlust.

Vegeta continued to give Raditz the chance to land a strike, but the third-class man continued to be unsuccessful. The prince was sadistically amused to see his subordinate struggle futilely to hit him. As he continued to dodge sloppy attacks, Vegeta couldn't prevent the maniacal laughter from escaping his lips. Raditz was putting every ounce of his strength and energy into his attacks and he couldn't put a single scratch on the royal saiyan. Vegeta's ego was fueled by the fact that he had complete control of the situation and over the wild saiyan.

It was not long, however, that Raditz's incompetence left him feeling completely frustrated. Out of desperation, he began to gather all of his ki into a large ki ball between his hands. He cared very little for the fact that he was depleting himself of all of his life energy and that such a maneuver would likely kill himself. He also cared very little for the fact that such an attack, should it miss its mark, would devastate the planet and the safety of those on it.

Vegeta, however, realized the danger. Regretfully, he knew that his fun had come to a quick end. Like the flip of a switch, the prince had gone from sadistic merriment to lethal conviction. For the first time during their fight, Vegeta went on the offense. He phased in front of Raditz, grabbed him by the wrists, yanked the taller man downwards, and brought his own knee up to connect with the other man's chin. The blow rattled Raditz's teeth. He dispelled the ki he had been gathering to bring his hands up to his face, all the while, stumbling backwards.

But Vegeta wasn't done. He phased again, this time on Raditz's right. The royal saiyan delivered an ear-ringing kick to his opponent's head. Raditz was sent soaring through the air, stopping only when he collided with one of the many piles of scrap metal. He slowly pulled himself out of the debris, only to be met with Vegeta's fists pummeling him in the face, limbs, and torso. After a brutal beating which left Raditz bloodied, bruised, and sporting several broken bones, the prince delivered yet another devastating kick which sent the third-class man skidding across the street's cracked pavement.

When Raditz finally came to a stop, he remained still where he lay, face-down and defeated. His heavy breathing was the only movement he made. It had only been a matter of seconds for him to fall after Vegeta had decided to get serious. Sapped of strength and energy, Raditz's baser instinct no longer had as much control over him. The beast within still writhed and coiled in anger, but it knew it had been bested, and so, began to relent. Rational thought slowly began to return to the prone saiyan just as the prince approached him.

Vegeta stopped his slow advancement only when he was standing over his subordinate. All traces of his earlier glee were gone, replaced by an unamused scowl. His charcoal eyes landed on Raditz's tail. He took the furry appendage in one gloved hand, holding it with a firm, but painless, grasp.

"I will not tolerate your risk-taking," the flame-haired man growled. "Your desire for the girl is not only jeopardizing our missions, but also our survival. Do you believe for a moment that Frieza would allow you to keep a woman and spawn brats off of her? At best, he would allow her to live long enough to birth the brat after which time he would kill her and keep the child as his own personal toy. At worst, he would give her a swift, painless death for the crime of carrying a saiyan cub and then kill the rest of us to ensure that we could not repopulate the saiyan race. Is that what you wish to happen? Do you want to sentence all of us to death?"

"N-no," the long-haired man choked out.

"Be this a warning to you, Raditz," Vegeta ordered. "Stay away from that girl. Disobey me again, and I will not be so generous as to allow you to continue living. Understood?"

Raditz nodded and managed to choke out, "Y-yes, Sire."

A wicked smile broke out on Vegeta's lips. "Good," he replied.

Taking Raditz's tail in both hands, the prince snapped the appendage with a loud _crack_, bending it into a right-angle. The third-class saiyan howled in pain as fire and agony ripped up his spine. Vegeta released the tail with a forceful thrust, as if disgusted by his subordinate's weakness. As Raditz continued to writhe in pain, the likes of which he had never felt before, the royal man turned to walk away.

"Pathetic," the prince sneered. "Go tend to your wounds. _If_ you can manage to crawl back to your pod, that is."

* * *

Date: Age 759, Fourth Galactic Quarter, Day 90 (Approx. 22 December, 759)  
Location: the fourth planet of an unexplored solar system

Bra woke to the sound of someone banging on the outside of her pod door. She cracked her eyes open to see a silhouette in the glass pane of the ship's door. Flexing her ki sense, she immediately identified the intruder as Nappa. Reluctantly, she deactivated the healing system in her pod and detached herself from the face mask.

The teen was a little confused as to why she hadn't woken up sooner. The computer display indicated that the sleeping agent had deactivated some time ago. She should have risen as soon as the hibernation system had shut down. But apparently, she must have needed her rest because she had overslept by a few hours according to her smart-watch.

Stretching out the kinks in her muscles, Bra noticed that she felt a million times better than she had the day before. She wasn't one hundred percent better, but the improvement was vast. Being sheltered from the toxic effects of the radiation and having been fed healing agents throughout the duration of the night had left her feeling renewed and rejuvenated. Checking herself in the mirror of her make-up kit, she saw that even her eyes, which should have been puffy from her crying session the previous night, had benefited from the effects of the healing system. The bruise Raditz had left on her neck had completely disappeared as well.

It was too bad that the healing unit didn't help with emotional wounds. Mentally, Bra was still troubled over the events of the previous night. Guilt and shame plagued her once again as her thoughts burrowed into her memories of her treatment of Raditz. She didn't dwell on these thoughts too long, as another obnoxious pounding sounded on the door to her pod.

Sighing irritably, the blunette packed away her make-up kit into her backpack. It occurred to her at that moment that it had been quite a long time since she had even bothered to apply the beauty enhancing items. What was once a vitally necessary process before stepping foot out of her house now seemed so… trivial. A short, wry laugh escaped her lips. What difference did one's appearance make while being put to the tasks of conquering worlds, enslaving entire races, and surviving the perils of the galaxy?

Bra opened the door to her pod. Immediately, she could feel the radiation filter in through the opening. The awful sensation was not nearly as oppressive as it had been the day before, however, and she credited that to the fact that they were so much farther away from any nuclear hot-spots than they had been when they had first come to this world. She theorized that she'd be able to accomplish a lot more now that she had most of her strength back.

"Are ya gonna stay in yer pod all day or what?" Nappa snapped impatiently.

"What do you care?" Bra snapped back.

"Breakfast, wench. Go make it."

Bra quirked a blue eyebrow, yet another expression that Nappa found hauntingly familiar. "Excuse me?" she demanded.

Unable to shake off the unsettling feeling, the bald man responded, "Ya heard me, wench. We're waitin' on ya to make us food."

Bra rolled her eyes. "Fine. Whatever."

The halfling climbed out of her pod and proceeded towards the tavern to see what mystery ingredients she could use to conjure up something edible. As she crossed the intersection, she couldn't help but to notice the tell-tale signs of a late-night sparring session: a toppled over pile of scrap metal, small craters and indentations in the ground, and a few spatterings of dried blood in the road. She immediately deduced there had been a spar some time after she had gone to sleep. _But how did I not notice what was going on?_ she wondered. Quickly, she realized, _Duh. The hibernation chemicals kept me conked out all night. Of course I wouldn't have sensed elevated energies. _She shook her head disapprovingly as she turned away from the damage. _Stupid saiyan men and their need to beat on each other,_ she thought as she entered the tavern.

Having her ki back was quite handy, Bra had to admit. She was more free to use it to light her way in the tavern's basement kitchen. Her smart-watch could only illuminate so much at any given time, but the brilliant aqua-colored glow of her ki lit up almost the entire kitchen. The ki ball in her hand cast shadows in every direction; they danced on the walls, floor, and ceiling as she moved throughout the room.

From the pantry, the teenager selected a box which contained grains that were an odd red-orange color. She sampled a pinch from the box and found that it was very bland. To try to add some flavor to the grain, she selected a couple jars of some fruit concoction and scooped a large cupful of the brown, powdered sweetener from its box. Lastly, she grabbed two cans of some strange, preserved, jellied meat product.

Half an hour later, the grains were nice and soft after a long boil in a large pot of water. The sweetener helped to cover their bland taste, but couldn't eliminate it entirely. The fruit concoction, added to the mixture, fixed that problem. As for the jellied meat product, Bra had seared slices of that on a pan until it took a more… solid form. She sampled the fried meat jelly before taking it and the fruit-and-grain meal upstairs to the hungry saiyans. The fried meat jelly tasted abysmal, but protein was protein. If her comrades didn't like it, they could starve.

Just as Bra finished placing four settings on their table, she shouted, "FOOD'S READY!' knowing that the saiyan men would hear her no matter where within the hamlet they were currently at. Sure enough, Nappa and Vegeta entered the tavern within seconds of her call. The girl sat down to eat first, at the seat where she had, once again, placed a meal consisting of much smaller portions in order to maintain the ruse that she wasn't of saiyan blood.

Unlike the night before, the remaining three servings were equally distributed. Seeing this, Vegeta took a seat across from Bra. Nappa began to sit down in the chair on Vegeta's left, but after a silent exchange between the two men, one that did not go unnoticed by the girl, the giant grudgingly moved to the other side of the table to sit at Bra's right. The prince began to consume his meal, giving no indication whether he liked it or not. Nappa was hesitant.

"What the hell is this?" the bald man demanded.

Bra paused mid-bite to answer him. "If I knew what it was called, I'd tell you."

"No," Nappa clarified. "I mean… Where the hell is the rest of it? I thought ya said there'd be more food in the mornin'!"

"There _is_ more," the teen replied. "What did you think? That I'd have a ten course meal for our breakfast today?"

"This is ludicrous!" scoffed the general. "I'm half-starved already! This isn't enough to survive on!"

"Nappa," Vegeta quietly interjected.

"What?" the mustachioed man barked, realizing too late to whom he had taken a disrespectful tone. "Er… I mean… Yes, Prince Vegeta?"

The prince gave the other man a scathing look but otherwise allowed the lapse to slide. "Shut up and eat your food," he ordered before returning to his own meal.

Chastised, Nappa did as he was commanded. The room was silent for several minutes as each devoted his or her attention to their bowls of sweetened, grain-and-fruit mash and plates of seared meat-jelly. Only the sounds of spoons clinking against the large, metal bowls filled the atmosphere. Bra tried her best to remain quiet during the few moments that it would take the saiyans to devour their meager helpings, but the absence of one of their members nagged at her and she eventually caved in to her temptations.

"Is Raditz gonna come eat or what?"

After shoving the last mouthful of food into his mouth, Vegeta replied, "Raditz will come eat when he is good and ready."

"And if he doesn't want to," Nappa added, "I'll be more than happy to eat his share."

"No, you won't!" Bra scolded. "You'll leave that right there for Raditz!" Unable to shake her concern, she flexed her ki sense and found that the man in question was in his pod; his ki calm and steady. "Is he still sleeping?" she asked out loud. "Maybe I should go wake him…" She began to rise from her seat when Vegeta stopped her.

"Don't disturb him. He is still recovering," the prince replied.

Bra was puzzled. "Recovering? From _what_?" No sooner than the words had left her mouth, she remembered the evidence of last night's sparring match and concluded that Raditz had been on one side of the skirmish. Recalling that her father had vowed 'to deal with his transgressions,' she knew that it had been Vegeta on the other side of the fight. Accusingly, she demanded, "What did you do?"

Vegeta gave her an impatient look. "I had a discussion with Raditz last night pertaining to his behavior as of late. You could say that we had a 'meeting of the minds.'"

Nappa chortled. "Yeah! If by that you mean 'a meeting between your fists and his head!'"

The teenager snapped her eyes towards the giant and gave him a scathing look. When Nappa settled down, she looked back at the prince. It was no surprise to her that her father would deal with unfavorable behavior with a sparring match. She had seen him discipline Trunks in such ways plenty of times. But she had a feeling that her father hadn't gone as easy on Raditz as she was accustomed to seeing him handle Trunks.

"Don't tell me you beat the shit out of him," Bra replied with a hint of a challenge in the tone of her voice.

"The punishment I dealt him suited the misconduct," Vegeta answered.

The halfling easily understood the prince's cryptic answer. "You _did_ beat the shit out of him!" she nearly screeched. "Why would you do that? You _know_ you're way stronger than him! He most certainly didn't deserve to be beaten so severely that he's still recovering from it! What the hell did he do that was so wrong?"

The royal saiyan disliked being interrogated. Rising from his seat, he growled, "Raditz disobeyed a direct order. As his squad leader and prince, it was my _duty_ to correct such undesired behavior."

Bra was puzzled. Feeling just a little bit threatened by her father's growing hostility, she asked in a softer tone, "'Direct order?' What direct order?"

"I ordered him to keep his hands off of you."

The halfling's eyes widened. Momentarily forgetting her anxiety, she loudly objected, "You mean, what happened last night between him and me? That wasn't even his fault! That was just an accident!"

Vegeta slammed his palms on the table, nearly splitting it in half as he leaned over the table to glare down at Bra. In a quiet and deadly voice, he warned, "Girl, if you do not wish the same for yourself, then I _highly_ advise that you cease your tone with me. You are dangerously close to disobeying an order I issued to _you_, and that order was not to question me. As for that third-class weakling… I don't care what his excuse was. I _will not_ be disobeyed."

Bra submissively averted her gaze and crossed her arms over her chest like a petulant child. _Why does he have to be such a jerk?_ she wondered. She was quite upset that on top of suffering with her rejection, Raditz had had to endure a beating from Vegeta as well. She couldn't help but to feel like it was all her fault. Because she felt this way, the girl very much wanted to continue protesting what she saw as a severe maltreatment of her former suitor for a situation that had been clearly out of his control. However, she wisely kept her mouth shut lest she find herself in another match against her father.

Satisfied that the blunette had ceased her confrontational attitude, Vegeta dismissed himself from the table and left the tavern. From the corner of her eye, Bra watched his departure.

Nappa hung back long enough to say to the girl, "Ya know, wench, if ya keep talkin' to Vegeta like that, he'll eventually kill ya." He got up from his chair and followed the path the prince took just a minute ago, but got only three steps before he stopped to say one more thing. Over his shoulder, he added, "I hope he does." And then he was gone.

Bra scowled. Things just seemed to be getting worse and worse between herself and her three saiyan companions, each for a different reason. The unveiled hatred from Nappa was something she could probably shrug off. The constant confrontations with the giant were really more of an annoyance than anything else. But they were also an unnecessary addition to the tension she was already experiencing with the other two men.

With her father, the hostility was difficult for Bra to process. Being so much like her father, it was no wonder they kept butting heads. Just like the prince, the princess challenged authority when she disagreed with it. In her era, she had almost always been allowed to express her differing opinion without fear of retribution. That was why she now kept finding herself in hot water. She was too accustomed to speaking so openly with her daddy in her time that she was surprised over and over again when her father of this current age reacted so defensively whenever he felt that his authority was being questioned.

As difficult as she was finding Vegeta to handle, Bra found that the current predicament with Raditz was even more difficult. The previous night's event had completely changed the dynamic of their friendship, probably irreparably so. She was no longer sure how to behave in Raditz's presence. She didn't know what she was going to say to him the next time she spoke with him. In truth, she was actually very much afraid to see him again because of her uncertainty.

The blunette was conflicted. She wanted to make amends with the long-haired man, but she feared his reaction. Would he be angry with her? Would he forgive her and resume his attempts to court her? Or would he take the middle ground and accept her apology and friendship? No matter the outcome, she definitely didn't want to see him suffering on account of her actions. She wanted to make sure that he'd be okay despite everything she'd done to him so far.

With unresolved anxiety plaguing her, Bra set about the task of clearing the breakfast dishes, with the exception of Raditz's untouched food. She carried everything back downstairs into the kitchen and proceeded to clean up. To take her mind off of the situation with Raditz as she washed the dishes, she began to mentally formulate a list of tasks for herself to complete that day. She had managed to get so absorbed in the task that she never noticed when Raditz finally emerged from his pod and entered the tavern to eat his cold breakfast.

* * *

When Raditz finally came back into awareness, the first thing he noticed that he felt stiff all over and a little bit sore. His tail, in particular, continued to throb dully. He knew that all of his injuries had been healed during the night, but he wasn't yet relieved of the phantom aches plaguing his body.

The long-haired saiyan climbed out of his pod just in time to see Vegeta and Nappa launch themselves into the sky to unknown whereabouts. And that was just as well with him. The last thing he wanted was to face Vegeta after the brutal beating he had received from his prince the prior evening. Although he knew that he had received the punishment for having disobeyed the prince's order almost immediately after it had been issued, Raditz still felt extremely bitter towards the flame-haired man. The way Raditz saw things, it was Vegeta's fault that Bra no longer had an interest in him. The beating had been salt added to an open wound.

The long-haired saiyan made his way to the tavern. The pangs of hunger in his stomach guided him towards where he was certain to find a meal. Sure enough, a single large bowl of some sort of mystery gruel and a platter of fried meat preserves waited for him. As Bra had promised, his breakfast was larger than his supper had been the previous afternoon. However, it looked much less appetizing. The meal had been sitting for quite a while, cooling during that time. Now, the bowl of sludge was a thick, congealed mass. The fried meat slices had grown cold and hard.

Raditz barely managed to swallow the first bite. Not because the food was almost flavorless. Not because the texture was abysmal. But because _she_ had been the one to make it. _She_ had been the one to set a place for him at the table. And _she_ had obviously been the one to ensure that his share hadn't been devoured by the other two saiyan men.

Bra's unspoken gesture infuriated the third-class saiyan. If she had no intention of becoming his mate, then why did she bother? Why did she care so much? Why did she put herself at risk to make sure he got his meal? What difference did it make to her whether or not he starved? He clenched and unclenched his fists as he stared down at his food as if it were taunting him, reminding him of the kindness she had once showed him and seemingly continued to show him. It also reminded him of the fact that she was now very strictly unobtainable.

Almost begrudgingly, Raditz choked down the remainder of his breakfast. The meal did little to sate his growing hunger. If anything, it only exacerbated it. He wasn't sure how long any of them could survive with so little to eat. Already, he could feel a lethargy growing in his muscles and bones from the lack of nutrients. The radiation exposure probably wasn't helping matters either.

After finishing his meager breakfast, the long-haired man rose from the table. He took a step towards the exit to leave, but, as an afterthought, decided that he'd take his soiled dishes downstairs into the kitchen. As he headed down the stairs and into a dimmer setting, he noticed a faint, aqua-colored glow coming from beyond the bottom of the staircase. The soft sound of dishes clattering and water splashing distantly echoed from the depths of the kitchen.

Putting two and two together, Raditz realized that he wasn't alone in the tavern. _Of course Bulla would be down there, cleaning up after breakfast,_ he chastised himself. _Why did I expect otherwise?_ The last thing he wanted was to be face-to-face with the object of his turmoil and distress. He wanted to turn back, to retreat to the main floor, and to leave his dishes on one of the tables for Bra to later retrieve. But he found that he couldn't turn away. He was drawn to her against his will. One foot after another, one step at a time, he continued down the steps and towards her location.

When the third-class saiyan reached the bottom of the stairs and the doorway into the kitchen, he stopped. Bra stood at the sink with her back to him. A small ball of aquamarine-colored ki floated in the air above her. Its light reflected off of the surface of the water in the sink and onto the walls surrounding her, creating a constantly shifting ripple effect. She looked as though she were standing in an underwater cavern. Her blue hair, under the light of the green sphere of energy, seemed almost white, giving her an ethereal appearance.

The saiyan couldn't look away from the girl, as if he were entranced. He could feel his inner beast long for her. It was this longing that reawakened the sorrowful pain deep within him. His free hand clenched at the center of his chest, as if he were being rent apart from the inside. He took several deep breaths, willing the ache away. His beast gave a howl of protest, fighting to gain control, but eventually grew silent once again. _The galaxy is truly a cruel place,_ Raditz lamented, _to trap me on a planet with my greatest desire, knowing that I can never have her._

"I know… I know," Bra said softly into the otherwise quiet room.

Raditz froze upon hearing her mumbled words. _Did she hear my thoughts and answer them out loud? _he wondered. _No,_ he decided. _She has been completely silent to me since last night. There is no possibility that she could have heard me. I doubt she is even aware of my presence. _Uncertain of his conclusion and with a lingering hope, he tested the vacant bond he shared with the girl. He found that it was completely quiet. He also discovered that she had erected an impenetrable wall on her end of their link. No, there was definitely no way she had heard his thoughts. _Then who is she talking to?_ he wondered.

* * *

Bra remained completely oblivious to the saiyan as he descended the stairs and came to stand no more than thirty feet behind her. As she scrubbed away at the breakfast dishes, she had tried to keep her mind occupied with an extensive to-do list, but her thoughts continued to wander back towards the subject of her former suitor. Having learned that Raditz had suffered the additional trauma of being beaten bloody by her father only worsened the misery she felt over the entire situation. These thoughts distracted her and were the reason she failed to notice the long-haired man's arrival.

_I have to make things right with Raditz._

The nagging of Bra's conscious objected. _We've been over this before. You had no other choice. You did what you needed to do before things got out of hand._

The teen grimaced as she scrubbed harder on a particularly difficult spot of gruel encrusted on the inside of the pot she had used to cook it in. _That doesn't mean that I shouldn't apologize._

_ Yes, it does! Raditz isn't human. He isn't going to understand an apology. It will only conflict with the message you gave him yesterday. _

_ You don't know that._

The voice rebutted, _I most certainly do! Saiyans follow a hierarchy of dominance and submission. You established your dominance over him last night. If you apologize for it, you will confuse the hell out of him. _And _you'll undo your authority over him. Your apology won't have the desired effect. He won't likely forgive you and he'll certainly question your motives._

_ I'm still gonna try._

_ Don't be foolish, girl. Your human sentimentalities are clouding your judgment_, the voice growled in the imitation of a masculine tone.

Bra furrowed her eyebrows. _Don't talk to me using Daddy's voice. _She dashed the back of her forearm across her eyes to wipe away a few stray tears. _It's hard enough that he isn't here. I don't need you to remind me of that._

_ Sorry. I wasn't trying to upset you. I figured I'd use your daddy's voice since he's the only one you seem to ever listen to. You won't listen to _me_. That's for certain. _

The conversation came to a silent pause for a few moments. The teen focused on her task with greater fervor, ignoring how angry she was becoming with herself. The voice in her head, however, wasn't ready to relent.

_Listen. If you hadn't have asserted yourself over Raditz last night, you _know_ what would have happened. You would have irrevocably fucked up the timeline._

"I know… I know," Bra quietly conceded.

_Then stop feeling so damned guilty for it, will ya?_

_I can't!_

_ Well, look at it this way… If you had completed the life-bond, all your secrets, all your knowledge, and all the future's events would have been revealed to Raditz, including when and how he dies. And you bet your ass that with that knowledge, he'd make sure to avoid it. From there, it's a domino effect. If he and Goku don't die on Earth, there is no battle over the dragonballs a year later, there is no trip to Namek, there is no victory over Frieza, there is no settling down on Earth for your daddy, and there is no _you_. And do you know what that means?_

Bra sighed. _I know. I'd create a paradox. If I screw up the timeline, then I won't come to exist. If I don't come to exist, then I can't be sent into the past to screw up the timeline. If I don't get sent to the past and screw up the timeline, then I will still come to exist. If I do come to exist, I will be sent back into the past where my actions will have screwed up the timeline. And so on, and so forth, creating a paradox that just might cause time to come undone in order to rectify itself._

_ Good. It's good to see you finally using your head._

_ Unless…_

_ 'Unless?' No! There is no 'unless!'_

The teen ignored the objections of her subconscious. _Unless a new, divergent timeline is created. Like what happened with Trunks from the future._

_ Well, _we_ aren't going to even consider the possibility. Now, are we? The risk is just too great. There's no guarantee that a different timeline will be created._

Bra sighed in defeat. _Yeah. I know._

If the girl's subconscious voice had a head, it would have been nodding in approval. _I'm glad that we're in agreement then. Now. Head's up. We've got company._ With that, the voice was silent once again.

On edge due to the warning issued by her subconscious, Bra suddenly noticed a soft presence tickling the blockade she had erected in the link she shared with Raditz. In the same moment, she instinctively flexed her ki sense and immediately became aware of the long-haired man standing behind her. She instantly whirled around and, with wide, nervous eyes, she stared at her former suitor's large form as he filled the doorway leading back upstairs.

The halfling was frozen in place, ill prepared for the impending confrontation, and even less prepared to see the deeply seeded pain and the unfulfilled longing within the saiyan's onyx eyes. Her heart bled for him. _She_ had caused the hurt she saw reflected in his eyes. His anguish only strengthened her resolve to make things right between the two of them, despite the warning her subconscious had just issued.

"Raditz… I…" the blunette tried to speak, but words failed her. What could she say or do to express how sorry she was for how she had treated him?

Bra's words seemed to snap Raditz out of his silent stupor, breaking him free of the captivating spell she had cast upon him. Before the girl could articulate her apology, the miserable look in the saiyan's eyes vanished, replaced by a cold, distant stare. Like a recoiling snake, she felt his presence suddenly withdraw from their bond and slip back behind his own mental barriers. She was distraught. Already, this was going badly.

Wordlessly, the long-haired man crossed the dimly lit kitchen and dropped his bowl, plate, and spoon into the sink next to the halfling. He kept his gaze averted and breathed very shallowly so that he wouldn't be overcome by any temptation that the girl represented. Bra watched him with her wide, blue eyes. She could feel her heart beat faster as he came within arm's reach. But she remained quiet as she watched him. After discarding his dishes, Raditz quickly turned to leave.

"Wait!" the teenager begged.

Raditz paused, but didn't turn to face her.

"A-about last night…" Bra stammered.

"Last night was a mistake," he said quietly and without emotion. "I overstepped my bounds. It will not happen again… _Lady_ Bulla."

Raditz began to walk away. The acid in his voice as he had addressed the demi-saiyan with a title was like a knife cutting through her heart. Although it hurt, she knew that she had deserved that. But she also wouldn't let it deter her. The bitterness in his voice was enough to convince her that she couldn't let matters continue this way. She made up her mind. In that moment, she no longer cared about timeline preservation or avenging the deaths of her family. She was going to tell Raditz the truth… about everything. And she wasn't going to let that nagging voice inside her head stop her.

Desperately, Bra reached out and grabbed his arm. "Raditz, please listen to me. There's something I have to tell you," she began, but she was quickly cut off.

The long-haired saiyan roughly jerked his arm from Bra's loose grip and aggressively whirled on her. "Do not touch me!" he snarled as he towered over her. Behind him, his tail lashed violently, matching his wrath. "There is nothing you have to say that merits my attention! I am finished listening to your lies and half-truths! I admit that you had me convinced that you actually cared for me. But I am no longer your fool. I know what you are now. Though you may be a _half-breed_, you certainly behave like any full-blooded saiyan; selfish and manipulative. I am finished with your games! You have caused me enough grief as it is!"

Stunned into silence, the blue-haired girl quietly watched her former-suitor retreat to the stairwell and disappear out of sight. She had been right – their friendship was irrevocably destroyed. She didn't blame him – _couldn't_ blame him – for being so angry with her. Since the moment they had met, he had done absolutely nothing wrong to her, including his attempt to mate her. He had done his best to provide for her, to protect her, to assist her in her mission to return home… and to love her.

And what had Bra done to show her thanks? She had lied to Raditz… repeatedly. She had taken advantage of his kindness and generosity. She had unintentionally led him on to believe that one day they would become a mated pair. And then she had broken his heart by throwing his affections back in his face. It was no wonder that he hadn't wanted to listen to her, even though what she had to tell him was the truth that he had been seeking over the past six months. She felt like a monster. A cruel, selfish, self-centered, stuck-up monster.

With tremendous effort, the demi-saiyan forced these self-incriminating thoughts from her mind. She aggressively wiped away the tears from her eyes. She didn't want to put herself into yet another crying fit. She had too much to do that day and didn't have the time nor the energy to waste on her love-life. She had to have a clear mind once she began working on the pods in order to be able to concentrate on the complicated tasks of reprogramming the various malfunctioning systems in each of the ships. Of course, as much as she would try to keep thoughts of Raditz at bay, they would continue to plague her throughout the day.

* * *

Several hours later, Bra was seated inside Raditz's pod, sheltered from the gentle but steady rainstorm that had worked its way into the area. She had kept to herself for most of the day. Her saiyan companions seemed to acquiesce to her need for solitude. And that was fine by her. It allowed her to concentrate on her work without the distraction of too many emotional triggers. As it was, she occasionally found herself taking a moment to settle her emotions and wipe away a few tears on the sleeve of her hoodie.

From her position inside Raditz's pod, the blue-haired girl could see Vegeta on the tavern's front patio. One end of the covered patio had collapsed long ago, but the end that Vegeta occupied was structurally sound and protected him from the rain as he diligently went through various exercise routines. A touch of a smile graced Bra's face as she thought, _At least _that's_ something that hasn't changed_, referring to her father's vigorous training regimen. To see him working so hard brought a sense of familiarity in her emotionally tumultuous day.

As far as the other saiyans went, they were nearby but not in the girl's line of sight. Flexing her ki sense, she located Nappa on the second floor of the tavern. His ki was low and steady, indicating that he was probably taking a late-morning nap in one of the vacant bedrooms. The spar he and Vegeta had engaged in earlier that morning must have worn him out. Raditz, on the other hand, was further away than the other two men. He had secluded himself at the fringe of the hamlet, keeping his distance from the rest of the group. She imagined that, like everyone else, he had taken shelter from the rain, holing himself up inside one of the abandoned dwellings.

Bra forced the thoughts of Raditz aside, which was a very difficult feat since she was inside his pod. She could smell his scent all around her as she worked on repairing the pod's software. His mint-pine aroma was an endless distraction to her work. It was a constant reminder of how horribly wrong things had gone between the two of them since the previous night. To try to mitigate the distraction, she even went so far as to try to draw breath from the pod's open doorway. But it really was to no avail.

To make the situation worse, the repairs to the software was taking longer than the teenager had expected. In actuality, she wasn't currently working on repairing the software; she was waiting for the GPS program file to finish transferring from the holoscreen – the one she still had on loan from Nappa – to the ship's computer. To her chagrin, the process was taking _forever_. The issue wasn't the fact that the connection speed between the two devices were slow. On the contrary, the transfer speed was very impressive. The problem was that the file was so enormous that it was taking a very long time to download.

The size of the program file caused a secondary road bump in the girl's path to fix the pods. Because the systems' software was so huge, she could only save one program at a time to the holoscreen. In the same manner that the transfer speed wasn't the issue, the available space on the holoscreen was not to blame either. The storage space was massive, but the file was equally as large. Due to this limitation, Bra had to save one file at a time to the holoscreen, download one file at a time to the pod that needed it, and then clear space on the holoscreen so she could download the next file.

If that wasn't bad enough, the amount of time it took to install the software after saving it to the pods' computers was even longer. Having spent most of the morning installing only _one_ program to Nappa's ship – the launch sequence procedure – she was already keenly aware of how long it would take to repair the two damaged programs in Raditz's pod. She loathed the thought of when she'd have to move on to her father's pod and the five or so software repairs she'd have to perform on his ship. She was thankful that all the programming in her own pod was unscathed. It was also very fortunate. Because her ship's software was sound, she had been able to use her pod's computer as a source for obtaining the necessary programs for the other pods.

Bra toyed with the idea of borrowing both Vegeta's and Raditz's holoscreens in order to expedite the data transfer process. Unfortunately, she knew her father wouldn't part with his device. Although he wouldn't admit it, he had kept his holoscreen well guarded. As for Raditz's holoscreen, she wasn't feeling particularly brave enough to ask him for it. Therefore, she was stuck playing the waiting game while the data transferred from one device to another.

To occupy herself while she waited, Bra had returned to the once-shelved upgrade to her smart-watch. Now that she had the connectors that she was missing when she previously attempted the improvements, she could finish the project. And hopefully she could do it before the data transfer between the holoscreen and Raditz's pod was finished. If all went well, she would soon be able to use her smart-watch to communicate with the ships' computers. And because the smart-watch had much more unused storage space on its hard drive than the holoscreen had, the task of transferring the information would be much faster.

Having obtained a tiny bit of metal from one of the scrap piles, the teenager held the end to one of the micro-circuit boards inside of her smart-watch. Very carefully, she manipulated a beam of aqua-colored ki. It was extremely thin, thinner than the width of pencil lead. And the strength of the energy was very meticulously maintained. She used that thin beam of controlled ki to soften the scrap metal, using it to solder the connectors to the micro-circuit board. She had to be very careful. Too much ki, and the solder (and probably the circuit board, too) would disintegrate. Too little ki, and the fusion of the two parts would be too weak and would fall apart.

Bra had never used her ki in such a way before. Always, she had had the tools in her momma's lab at her disposal. The tool kit she had purchased on Planet Opula hadn't come with a soldering iron or any similar tool. So she had to 'wing it.' The girl was quite nervous as she worked. The smallest error on her part would completely ruin the smart-watch. But she decided that this was good for practice. When it came time to replace the computer hardware and circuitry in Vegeta's pod, she absolutely had to get it right. If she failed, then the pod would be rendered completely useless and someone would be trapped on this forsaken world.

The blue-haired girl paused after a careful solder to brush her hair out of her eyes for probably the twelfth time since working on her smart-watch. The cerulean locks were becoming quite the annoyance. She noticed, as she tucked a strand of hair behind an ear, that her hair had grown considerably since she had arrived in the past. The tips, which once stopped just above her shoulders, now reached the lowermost points of her shoulder blades. The added inches to her hair served as yet another reminder of how many months had slipped away from her. As she focused on the next solder, she made a mental note to tie her hair back when she moved onto the task of rebuilding the destroyed circuit boards from Vegeta's pod. She certainly didn't want to screw something up because her hair decided to get in the way at an inopportune moment.

When Bra was finishing the final solder on her smart-watch, she was approached by the prince. In a mildly annoyed voice, he said, "What are you doing, girl? That _thing_ you're tinkering with doesn't appear to have anything to do with the repairs on the pods."

Bra glanced up at her father. Despite the light rain, he had come over to inspect her progress. Although he appeared to ignore the rain pelting his armor and soaking into his hair, she still felt bad that he had left the shelter of the tavern patio to check up on her. She wanted to scold him for letting himself get so drenched, but held back, knowing that it would be futile to argue with him. Her daddy from her era would have wilted under her demands to get out of the rain, but this Vegeta was an unbreakable force and wouldn't succumb to her will.

"Well?" the prince insisted. His impatience echoed in his eyes.

Bra cast him a knowing grin, despite the tiny bit of anxiety he stirred within her. "On the contrary," she rebutted. "If I can get my _**smart-watch**_ to do what I'm trying to get it to do, then the repair process on the pods will go much quicker."

Vegeta quirked an eyebrow. "_**Suh-maht-wah-tuch**_?"

The teen nodded. "Uh huh! It's a present that my _**Pappy**_ gave me. First one off of the assembly line, too. Well, the first one my family's company made, anyway. I'm upgrading it so that it can communicate with PTO technology."

The royal man stared intently at the device in the girl's hands. "You theorize that your _**suhmaht-wahtuch**_ will perform faster than the holoscreen?"

"Yes. And no," Bra answered. She couldn't help but notice that her father, for the first time, was actually showing some interest in her since the spar when they had first made contact with one another. She was marveled by the fact that he was intrigued by something technological.

"I don't understand," Vegeta replied. "Explain yourself. What do you mean by 'yes and no.'"

The halfling responded, "It won't necessarily be faster, but the capacity is much larger. I can copy and transfer multiple files at once, rather than one at a time. That is, if I can get this working."

With that, Bra replaced the back cover on her smart-watch. She turned the device back on and engaged the interactive hologram workspace projected by the four transmitters on each corner of the smart-watch. With her free hand, she furiously began to type commands on the blue, holographic keyboard. A garbled mass of text rolled up the phantom screen as she activated the script she had earlier written when she had first devised the plan to upgrade the smart-watch.

The teenager watched with a bated breath as the program installed itself on her smart-watch. Vegeta watched in fascination. The girl worked with technology as if she were a witch effortlessly conjuring spells from her fingertips. If he hadn't seen it for himself, he'd have doubted her skills. Her abilities, no doubt, would put many of Frieza's top scientists to shame. And she was a mere cub at that! It was no small wonder that this slip of a girl had fallen into his lap and hadn't been scooped up by Frieza first.

The program script abruptly came to an end. An interface popped up on the smart-watch's hologram. Bra's fingers danced to and fro across the display as she tapped icons, swiped control functions from side to side, and adjusted settings. Her cerulean eyes, tinted a deeper blue from the hologram's aura, darted left, right, up, and down over and over again in quick succession as she worked. Vegeta found her ministrations both mysterious and hypnotizing. He hadn't much clue what she was doing, but she appeared to be completely confident and within her element.

Suddenly and unexpectedly, Bra's pod, some thirty feet behind Vegeta, whirred to life. Startled, the prince spun around quickly to determine the source of the disturbance and, possibly, who the intruder was who had activated the pod. The computer systems inside Bra's ship initiated, lights from within the pod began to glow, and a quiet hum could be heard despite the patter of rain. Yet, her pod was completely vacant.

Bra carefully set her upgraded smart-watch aside and climbed out of Raditz's pod so that she may get a better look at her own ship. She ignored the cold drops of rain that gathered on her body and chilled her skin. An excited smile beamed across Bra's face as she soaked in the evidence of her success. Not only did this mean that the repair progress would improve, this also meant that she'd be able to access PTO databases with her smart-watch the next time they arrived on one of their military bases. Which, hopefully, would be very soon since their very first stop once they left this planet was going to be one such base.

Caught up in her own personal celebration, Bra cheered for joy as she threw her arms around Vegeta's middle. "It works!" she cried out with laughter laced in her voice. "I can't believe it finally works!"

The royal man was completely unsettled by the girl's exuberance, practically recoiling from her in uncertainty. In situations where someone invaded his personal space, like she was doing that very moment, he was typically wont to retaliate violently against the offender. But since she had completely caught him off guard, and because this clearly wasn't an attack, he merely pushed her off of his person. Only when Bra felt her father shove her a little roughly did she realize the error she had made. She immediately withdrew from the prince and ducked her head shamefully. She had forgotten that the man before her was not the man she knew from her era, a man who would have welcomed such an exuberant embrace from his daughter and praised her for her accomplishment.

"I-I'm sorry," the blunette quickly and sheepishly apologized.

Vegeta, having recollected himself, simply scowled despite the pink tinge to his cheeks. "Just… finish your job," he said before leaving the girl to her work.

Bra watched the prince cross the street and enter the tavern. A hint of a smile crept across her lips as the reality of what had just happened finally hit her. She had just achieved the unbelievable. She had actually hugged the young, brutal, and angry saiyan prince… and she had survived unscathed. Suppressing the bubble of laughter she felt brewing in her chest, she turned back towards Raditz's pod to complete the repairs. Vegeta's brusque dismissal could do nothing to sour her ecstatic mood. Things were finally looking up for a change.

* * *

Date: Age 759, Fourth Galactic Quarter, Day 91 (Approx. 23 December, 759)  
Location: the fourth planet of an unexplored solar system

Bra stood in the center of a cluttered room, dimly lit by the sunlight filtering in through the large, dusty windows on her left. She stared at the objects of her attention with wide, incredulous eyes. Against the wall in front of her in the control room of the abandoned factory, stood multiple computers. Bra had hoped to loot the devices that had once been the brain of the plant's manufacturing process. She imagined that she could extract components from the machines and repurpose them to repair the damaged hardware in Vegeta's pod. Looking at these computers however, she realized that there was another layer of difficulty added to her task.

The factory's computers were enormous. From floor to ceiling, they stretched. They ran from the wall on her left all the way to the wall on her right. She could only imagine how deep they were since there was no way at the moment to measure their third dimension. She figured they were at least two to three feet deep, but she'd know for sure once she got one of them open.

Not only were the computers gargantuan, but the technology they utilized appeared to be so ancient compared to what she was accustomed to back home. Immediately noticeable was the fact that these computers had no display screens or monitors attached to them. The only type of input or output they had was in the form of buttons and dials, light diodes, and analog measurement indicators. All of which were useless to her as they all had writing in the native's mysterious language.

The teenager chose one of the computers at random and popped open its access panel. She was, yet again, stunned by the outdated technology she saw inside. From about her chest level and up there was nothing but a vast entanglement of wires and connectors. It was a jungle of chords of various widths, lengths, and colors.

Below the chaos of wires was more of the same, if only slightly more controlled. At first glance, the bottom half of the computers seemed to be in perfect order and harmony. A dozen circuit boards stood on end, parallel to one another and perpendicular to the access panel. These boards were completely transparent. But this is where order ended and chaos began. Looking between each panel, she could see that each board had hundreds of pegs and just as many thin wires laces in between these pegs. Every one of these wires represented a pathway of electric current and information transfer. It was as complex as it was outdated.

Bra could see that the hardware was almost as tall as her chest, but how wide were they? She reached her hand inside to gauge how deep the computer was. She was a little more than elbow deep when her palm connected with the back of the machine. Feeling around, she discovered that the circuit boards were almost as deep. She withdrew her hand. _So, each one is about three feet by two feet in size,_ she calculated. _That's friggin' ginormous! _The girl began to inspect the panels of circuit boards to determine the best way to remove them from the computer.

From the doorway behind Bra, Vegeta leaned against the frame with his arms crossed over his chest. He watched the girl as she delicately delved her head into the massive machine, using a small amount of ki to light her way. After a moment, she withdrew herself and then crouched down in front of the rows of circuit boards, tipping her head left and right as she examined them.

Growing impatient, the prince growled, "Is there a problem, girl?"

The halfling lifted her head and glanced over her shoulder at her father. "No. No problem," she reassured him.

Bra flipped the release mechanism for one of the boards. Rising to her feet, she slowly extracted the large panel from its cache. Once it was free, the girl took a moment to wipe the layer of dust from the side lacking wires. Acknowledging that repurposing these circuit boards would be challenging, she also theorized that if she was successful, they'd be a suitable replacement.

Vegeta, on the other hand, disagreed. "Are you absolutely daft, girl? You aren't planning on using _that_ for my pod, are you? Not only is it too large, but it's grossly outdated!"

"Oh! You're right! I'm such an idiot!" Bra lamented with a hint of sarcasm, palming her forehead for added drama. "But…" she sang, changing her tune, and looking at her father with a playful look in her eye, "I can probably cut these down to appropriate size. See? Unlike a lot of advanced computer hardware which imbeds the circuitry _inside_ the board, these were designed with the wiring on the _outside_. So no matter where or how I trim these down to size, I can rewire them so that each circuit will always have both ends accessible. So you see? It's _fortunate_ that they're so outdated."

Bra removed three more of the circuit boards from the computer, believing that four of these giant panels should be more than enough to complete her repairs. But given their very old method of construction, with the exposed wires and protruding connectors, she could only carry two at a time. She placed two of the boards back to back with their wireless sides against each other and walked over to Vegeta.

"Can you carry these two back for me?" the blunette asked sweetly.

The royal man cast her an annoyed eye but unfolded himself from the doorframe nonetheless. Unhappy with being made a pack-mule, he snatched the two boards from her.

"Hey! Careful!" Bra admonished.

Vegeta growled at her. "Hurry up so we can go."

Bra turned to collect the other two panels, rolling her eyes after she had turned away from Vegeta. _It's barely past breakfast and already he's being grouchy,_ she groaned. _I can already tell that this is gonna be a _very_ long day._

* * *

By the afternoon, Bra had all four of her circuit boards dissected. She had set up a makeshift workshop in the tavern's dining area, utilizing ten of the twelve tables for her personal work space. Eight of these table held the components from the circuit boards, separated into piles based upon their function. On the ninth table, several circuit boards from Bra's pod, removed so that she had something to serve as a reference, lay side by side. At the tenth table, Bra sat hunched over a section of blank circuit board as she recreated the one she was currently trying to emulate.

Copying the pod's circuitry with such old technology turned out to be much easier than the teen had anticipated. After cutting a section of board down to the same shape and size as the one from her pod, she began removing the connector pegs until the only ones that remained matched the layout of the circuitry from the pod's hardware. Then she began adding components back onto the board such as conductors, transistors, diodes, capacitors, and resistors. Very carefully, she used her ki to solder the components into place. This process took her the most time since she was determined to do it right on the first try. The last thing she wanted to do was to accidentally destroy the board with an ill-measured or ill-placed beam of ki after having spent so long working on it.

Bra held her breath to keep her hand steady as she soldered the last piece into place. The slightest mistake would render all the time and energy invested into this board a complete waste. She was very glad that she had wisely decided to tie her hair back before she started working as it surely would have gotten in her way dozens of times by now and would have likely threatened her success. Once she was satisfied that the component would stay in its place, she extinguished the narrow beam of her ki and slowly withdrew the remainder of her soldering material, being very careful not to bump the transistor while the solder cooled.

After all of the solder was set, the final step in the completion of the board was to rewire it. This was probably the easiest part of the assembly since the wires only had to be wrapped around the connector pegs. All she had to do at this point was match the circuit routes of the replacement board to the layout of the original one. After the very last wire was finished, she sat back and took a deep, relaxing breath. The only thing left to do was to test it.

Bra took her finished product, as crude as it looked, and headed towards Nappa's pod for testing. With Vegeta's pod incapable of testing due to the damages, her pod unavailable due to the fact that she had removed so many parts, and Raditz's pod undesirable because his lingering scent reminded her of her mistreatment of him, she had decided that Nappa's pod would be the proverbial guinea pig. And besides, the giant had been MIA all day. He'd have no idea that she was using it to test the replacement circuit boards.

The blue-haired girl opened an access panel inside the ship and carefully removed the corresponding circuit board. Gently, she placed the new board into the vacated spot. After making sure that it was properly connected to everything else, she turned on the computer inside Nappa's pod. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest and knots twisted in her stomach as she waited with her breath held. The computer came to life and after going through its boot-up procedure, it came to an idle waiting for its user to enter commands. _So far, so good,_ she thought.

Bra turned to her smart-watch, activated the diagnostics program, and began monitoring the pod's computer and the performance of the replacement circuit board. Everything indicated that the board was functioning with over ninety-nine percent accuracy. Information was being relayed properly and quickly. The board's temperature was within acceptable range. And the amount of voltage, both running through and being stored by the board, were accurate.

To be certain that the results were correct, the teenager ran the diagnostic three more times. All three times, she received similar results. She breathed a sigh of relief. Although she was pleased that the circuit board was working very well, she refused to celebrate preemptively. _One down, four to go,_ she tallied as she powered down Nappa's pod so that she could return the original board to its home. Once finished, she returned to the tavern to construct the remaining circuit boards. If all went well, she'd have all the parts replaced by dinner time.

* * *

**Story Notes:**  
_Hoodoo_ – vertical, rocky structures formed by erosion and most commonly found in the deserts of Utah. Until now, I never knew what these were called, if anything. When I looked it up, I didn't expect that the answer would be 'hoodoo' because hoodoo is also defined as a type of African-American folk magic.

**Author's Note:**  
This chapter didn't originally end here, so I'm sorry if it suddenly seems lopped off. I had another eight pages already written and several more plot developments not yet written when I decided that I ought to split this chapter into two. With chapter eighteen now fully written, had I not split these two chapters in half, the total length of this chapter would have been forty-five pages long. So… I'm glad I decided to end this chapter where I did.

Also, I wanted to make something perfectly clear. In chapter sixteen, Bra did not confess to being _in_ love with Vegeta. She only confessed that she loves him. Yes, her intention was to make Raditz _think_ she was saying that she is in love with Vegeta. But, again, she never said those exact words. And, no, she wasn't exactly lying to Raditz either. When confessing her affections for Vegeta, Bra was referring to the daughterly sentiments she feels for Vegeta. Yes, Bra loves her daddy very much. It was from this that she spoke truthfully. And because she was speaking the truth, Raditz couldn't detect any deceit, and that was why he easily believed her when he assumed she was declaring that she was in love with Vegeta.


	18. Lesson Eighteen

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Eighteen  
Guard Your Thoughts_

_ From my earliest memories, all the way up until Daddy's passing, I had always been telepathically linked with him. Because Daddy had a very strong mind, he always had control over what thoughts and feelings he allowed me to experience. I was not always so skilled._

_ For the first several years of my life, I had been completely open to Daddy. I supposed that my openness hadn't posed much of an issue during my youngest years since he had been able to block me out whenever he wanted. As I grew in age and my mental abilities strengthened, however, my thoughts and emotions must have become more and more difficult to ignore. One day, Daddy could no longer tolerate my intrusive thoughts._

_ I remember that it was a warm and beautiful day during the early summer, shortly after my fifth birthday. I was outside in one of my new dresses, coloring on the blacktop of our enormous driveway with a new set of sidewalk chalk. Daddy was nearby, talking with the site supervisor of the construction crew tasked with the remodeling of Capsule Corporation's main entrance. Under normal circumstances, Momma would have been the one to handle such business since she was the company's president, but she had been called away to the R&amp;D Dept. at the last moment to troubleshoot some issues with a new prototype._

_ I largely ignored the conversation between Daddy and the construction supervisor. I was too busy drawing misshapen animals, wobbly rainbows, and stick-figure representations of my family. As I doodled, I repeatedly recited a snippet of lyrics from one of my favorite childhood songs. I barely noticed when the conversation between Daddy and the supervisor suddenly paused. _

_ "Bra, stop that singing. I'm trying to speak with this man so I might correct the incompetence of his crew."_

_ Without looking up from my drawings, I answered, "But I'm not singin', Daddy."_

_ "Yes, you are, Bra. Now hush yourself."_

_ This time I looked up at Daddy and tried again to plea my case. "But I'm not…"_

_ The site supervisor chimed in at my defense. "You must have exceptional hearing, Mr. Vegetus. I couldn't hear her singing at all."_

_ "See, Daddy? I told you. I wasn't singin'. I was _thinkin'_ the words in my head."_

_ Noticing the bewildered expression fall over the supervisor's face, Daddy said to him, "Excuse me for a moment. Don't do a damn thing until I return." To me, he said, "Bra, come with me."_

_ I rose from my seat on the blacktop and took Daddy's hand as he led me around the building towards the family wing entrance. We went indoors and Daddy had me take a seat at the kitchen table._

_ "Bra, I think it's time that you learned how to control your thoughts. They are become quite distracting. You need to learn how to prevent them from being broadcast to everyone who shares a bond with you."_

_ "Why would I wanna do that, Daddy?" At such a young age, I had nothing to hide and couldn't understand why I would want to hide anything from my family._

_ Daddy answered, "Because there will come a day that you will not want to share everything you're thinking or feeling with others. One day, there will be things that are private to you and you alone. Things that you'll want to keep secret to yourself."_

_ "Like how you gots secrets?"_

_ A pained and distant look passed quickly over Daddy's features and then he quickly schooled them. "Yes. Just like I keep certain things hidden from you and your brother. I keep these things hidden from you two because they are things that neither of you should ever see. I keep them secret to protect you. And now, you should learn how to protect yourself by learning how to guard your own thoughts."_

_ I nodded. "Okay, Daddy. How do I do that?"_

_ Daddy took a deep breath. "The easiest method for one to learn is to take all the things that are to be kept hidden and imagine them behind a wall."_

_ I gave Daddy a curious look. "But walls aren't very strong. They can be punched through. Or kicked down. Or jumped over."_

_ "Not this wall," Daddy corrected. "This wall is in your mind. It's the tallest, thickest, strongest wall you can think of. And it blocks everything on all sides. Nothing can get in or out unless you let it."_

_ "What kinda wall should I think of, Daddy?"_

_ "Any kind of wall you prefer. It doesn't matter its size or color or material. All that matters is that you make it strong."_

_ I closed my eyes. The first wall I could think of resembled those of my bedroom… flat and pink and trimmed with decals of pretty, prancing unicorns. I imagined that wall sprouting upwards from the ground in front of me, growing to a magnificent height._

_ "Very good," Daddy encouraged me. "But you've erected your wall on only one side. To fully protect your thoughts, you must surround them on all sides."_

_ In my mind, I turned ninety degrees. The wall I had built appeared to go on endlessly into the distance of my mental realm. Concentrating, I tried to conjure a second wall, perpendicular to the first. As this wall, identical in color and décor to the first, began to rise from the ground, the first one began to tremble. The more I exerted myself, the more the first wall shook. Cracks began to form in its surface. Chunks began to crumble away from it._

_ "Make your first wall smaller," came Daddy's suggestion. "It's far too large to maintain while trying to erect a second barrier. Make it smaller and more manageable."_

_ Temporarily abandoning my second wall, I turned back to the first and did as Daddy instructed. I brought it down to about ten feet by ten feet in size. No longer did it reach into eternity. I returned to the creation of my second wall and found that it was much easier this time around. Matching its size to the first wall, it went up much quicker and smoother. And my first wall remained perfectly intact._

_ "Good. Now the third boundary," Daddy urged._

_ I turned another ninety degrees. The third wall went up, this time a little more slowly than the second one. I could feel the difficulty level increasing as this one lifted into place._

_ "You're getting there. Keep going," Daddy encouraged._

_ I turned one last time. Pushing up this last wall was exponentially harder than the previous ones. I could sense that the first three walls were beginning to tremble, just as the first wall had done earlier. I gritted my teeth and balled my fists as I forced that fourth wall to rise. After several long and excruciating minutes, the last wall snapped into place._

_ "Excellent. You've almost got it," Daddy replied. "Now, there is one final barrier to put in place. Above."_

_ I looked up. Sure enough, there was a wide space above me. I wasn't certain if I'd be able to put a fifth wall in place. I was using every bit of my concentration just to keep the existing walls in place. I took a deep breath. I pictured a final wall, a ceiling, so to speak, sliding over the gap above me, as if it were sealing me inside. Everything around me shook with the force of an earthquake, but the ceiling-wall continued to slide into place. Once it settled, I realized that I was completely shut in, inside a dark and empty room. If I had had the mental power to spare, I'd have imagined a light source of some sort to illuminate my newly created chamber._

_ As I stood in my dark and silent room, struggling to keep the structure in place, a thought crossed my mind. Wouldn't it have been easier to have imagined a room instead of trying to build several walls at once? Curious for an answer, I simply _had_ to ask Daddy why he hadn't had me try this from the start. Because I couldn't speak out loud without interrupting my concentration, I mentally called out to Daddy._

"Daddy, why did'ja have me make all the walls separate? Why not all of them at the same time?"

_ I waited for an answer, but received no response._

"Daddy?"_ I called out again. Again, I was met with silence._

"Daddy? Why aren't you answering me?"

_ It was very unusual for him not to reply to me. Whenever I needed him, Daddy was always just a thought away. Unused to such mental silence, I opened my eyes. This small, physical movement, combined with my sudden anxiety, broke my mental concentration. All of my carefully constructed walls shattered into countless motes of dust and debris, scattering and dissolving into nothingness._

_ The moment I opened my eyes, I discovered that Daddy was still right in front of me. My worry disappeared and was replaced by confusion. "Daddy?"_

_ "Yes, girl?"_

_ "Why didn't you answer me?"_

_ "I just did."_

_ "No, Daddy. I was callin' you in my mind. You didn' answer me."_

_ Daddy smiled. "You were within your barrier, girl. How could I have heard you?"_

_ My eyes widened with surprise and wonder. I had actually done it? I had created a barrier that Daddy couldn't get through?_

_ A soft, amused chuckled escaped Daddy's lips. Responding to my unspoken thought, he replied, "I could have broken through the barriers you created. But this was the first one you ever made, so it is understandable that it wouldn't have been strong enough to keep me out if I had wanted to break in. You will have to practice in order to make your mental walls strong enough to keep intruders out."_

_ I nodded. "Daddy?" I pressed my earlier curiosity. "Why didn' you say to make a room instead of a wall? That's kinda more like what I made, isn' it?"_

_ Daddy answered, "You felt how difficult it was to make barriers on multiple fronts, did you not?"_

_ I nodded again._

_ "Imagine how difficult it would have been to erect all of those barriers at once."_

_ I contemplated this idea. I wondered if I would have been able to succeed or not had I made the attempt._

_ "Worry not, girl. Once you have accustomed yourself to this practice, you will be able to simultaneously create multiple pockets of guarded thoughts and those pockets will be within several layers of barriers. You'll be able to do this without putting any effort into it. But you must practice."_

_ "I will, Daddy."_

_ "And remember… a wall is only _one_ method of protecting your thoughts. There are an infinite number of ways to do so. You should teach yourself different variations of guarding your mind as there are many different ways in which your mind can be infiltrated."_

_ I nodded one last time. I wasn't entirely sure what Daddy meant at the time, as far as developing different ways to guard my thoughts. Over the years, I managed to formulate a small variety of methods to do so. I found that having a selection of abilities to choose from would make me very versatile at protecting my mind. _

_~from The Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Age 759, Fourth Galactic Quarter, Day 91 (Approx. 23 December, 759)  
Location: the fourth planet of an unexplored solar system

Throughout the course of the afternoon, Bra worked diligently on replicating the circuit boards needed to fix Vegeta's pod. She made excellent progress, completing four of the five replacement boards, although she would have preferred to have finished them all before dinnertime. She hadn't experienced too many setbacks. Of these, she was usually able to correct an issue and move on, losing only a little bit of her time in the process. Only once did she have to scrap a circuit board entirely. Fortunately, she had only just started working on it when she realized she was going to have to start from scratch. She quickly learned from her mistake and from then on, she moved along very swiftly.

The halfing only paused her work long enough to prepare and eat dinner. She noted that, once again, Raditz had remained absent during the meal, making this the fourth consecutive time that he had secluded himself while the other three ate. Although two days had passed since the incident in the factory, it was far from being enough time for wounded emotions to heal. While she was bothered by his absence, she wasn't terribly concerned. Thus far, the elusive saiyan had eventually returned to eat each meal, even if he didn't do it in the company of the others.

As she ate, Bra was so distracted by her concern for Raditz that she almost missed how Nappa's eating habits had grown rather peculiar. The bald-headed man was taking an unusual amount of time eating, almost as if he had to force himself to swallow his food. He looked as though he was disgusted with the bowl of slimy, black, bean-shaped things. She rolled her eyes. He had done nothing but complain about the meals she had been preparing for them ever since they had landed on this planet. Either it was too little, was too bland, or looked too unappealing. She understood very well that he wasn't happy with the circumstances. He needn't act like a child about it.

After dinner, the teenager began to clean up the dinner dishes, once again leaving Raditz's serving on the table. After the dishes were washed, Bra returned to her work in her make-shift workshop at the far end of the tavern's dining room. Part of her hoped that she'd see her former suitor when he came to eat his meal. There were still so many unresolved issues between the two of them. On the other hand, she hoped that she'd miss him. She was afraid that if she tried to confront him again, she'd spend too much of her valuable time trying to hash things out with him when she ought to be working on the repairs. With this in mind, she decided that she couldn't dwell on his absence. She had one last circuit board to complete and, unfortunately, this last board was proving to be quite difficult.

Studying the circuit board borrowed from her pod, she saw a strange apparatus attached to its surface. The component was round and black. It housed a complicated web of wiring and a bizarre, miniature computer. She couldn't quite figure out what it's purpose was. Since she didn't know what it was, or how it worked, she wasn't sure if she could fix or replace the one she had removed from Vegeta's pod, damaged from an electrical surge. So she attempted to recreate the board without including a replacement apparatus.

Unfortunately, when Bra tested the reconstructed circuit board in Nappa's pod, very little happened. The ship's computer powered on, but that was about it. No programs booted up. No interface was available. All she had was an electrical current running to the computer. Flustered, she realized that the mystery component was obviously a requirement for the function of the circuit board, which in turn was imperative to the operation of the computer. She returned to the tavern where she began a second examination of the component. After a long, hard look at the device, she was at a complete impasse. She had no idea how to unlock its secrets. Never before had she found herself so completely stumped.

The blue-haired genius was so focused on unraveling the mysteries of the device that she failed to notice Vegeta enter the tavern. The prince strolled over to stand behind the girl, sparing only a moment to notice how she had strangely tied her hair back. He looked over her shoulder as she closely scrutinized the two identical circuit boards – one whole, one charred – with the black, spherical objects attached to their middles. He watched her with mild amusement as he realized that she had finally come across a challenge that was getting the better of her.

After several moments of watching the girl stress, Vegeta finally drawled, "So I see you've found the tracking unit."

Startled, Bra whipped her head around to look into her father's eyes. "What?"

The royal man smirked. "The tracking unit. It is an essential component in each and every pod. If the unit is damaged during flight, the pod will continue to function only long enough to make it to its next landing. After which, the pod will cease all operations until the unit has been repaired or replaced. It serves as a leash, of sorts. The tracking units were designed in this way so that they couldn't be destroyed by their operators while attempting to escape Frieza's indenture."

The teen blinked incredulously. "Really," she said rhetorically in a tone that didn't exactly express her surprise, but rather the fact that she was quite impressed with the technology. "So _that's_ why you had Raditz and Nappa carry your pod here." Taking into consideration the level of intelligence Bra possessed, to say that she was impressed spoke volumes of the engineers who had designed such a device. She _was_ surprised, however, that her father knew what the component was. She had to ask, "How do you know that this is a tracking unit?"

"I have destroyed many of those insufferable units in my years serving Frieza. Every time, I have only served to strand myself until I was desperate enough to contact the PTO for a rescue pod."

"I see," Bra mumbled as she turned her attention back to her work station. She now knew why she had had such a difficult time determining the component's purpose. The tracking device, under normal circumstances, sent signals to PTO satellites. These were signals that she wasn't able to receive since she lacked the type of equipment to do such. And since she couldn't receive these signals, she couldn't analyze them to discover what the components' purpose was.

Unfortunately, knowing what the device was only scratched the surface of solving her dilemma. The demi-saiyan still had no clue how it worked, how its function was so intricately tied to the rest of the pod, or how she could resolve the problem of fixing it. She realized that it would likely take weeks to fully understand the ins and outs of the device and several more days to reconstruct it – or circumvent it. And that calculation was based on her own abilities. Someone with less talent than she possessed could be at it for months. She sighed in frustration. She simply didn't have the required amount of time on her hands. They'd all die from radiation poisoning or starvation before she'd be able to figure this out.

Despite the setback, Bra was determined not to give up. She simply couldn't afford to. She plowed forward, her mind in full problem-solving mode. _Let's see… When Pappy designed his first interstellar ship, he borrowed the tech from Uncle Goku's space pod. Surely, that pod had a tracking unit in it… right?_ she pondered. _Or maybe not. No one came looking for Uncle Goku, after all. Not until he was in his twenties, anyway. Maybe his pod predated the tracking units…_

The teenager dismissed her theory. _It's possible, but unlikely. They wouldn't have sent a baby out into space without a way of knowing where he went. There _must_ have been_ _a tracking unit in Uncle Goku's pod… It simply must have been damaged during his flight to Earth. That's why no one from the PTO came looking for him for so long. So how did Pappy successfully utilize the tech from that pod and circumvent the dependence of the tracking unit?_

Frustrated, Bra sat back from her work station and rethreaded her blue locks through her hair tie. _If only I had access to Pappy's archives!_ she lamented. _If I were back home, I could quickly look up his schematics and I'd be done with this already!_ Unfortunately for Bra, she had never studied any of the research her grandfather had performed on the earliest space ships. The information had predated her birth by over fifteen years and predated her involvement in ship design by an additional seven years. The information learned from Goku's original pod had long ago been obsolete by the time she began learning the technology. She never figured she'd have a need for such old research.

"What's the matter, girl?" Vegeta cooed menacingly. "Can't fix one simple little device? Don't tell me that all your work thus far has been for naught."

Bra, having forgotten that she wasn't alone, spun in her chair and glared at her father. "Unless you can help me figure this out, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me work in peace."

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at the girl, unhappy with her tone. "Ask me nicely, and I might be able to share what I know."

The halfling raised an eyebrow in skepticism. "You know how this works?"

The prince folded his arms over his chest and scoffed at her. "Did you presume that I don't? When I stated earlier that I had destroyed many of them over the years, I didn't mean to imply that I merely blasted or smashed the units. Not all of them anyway. I spent a lot of time studying them, trying to find a way to disable them without compromising the functionality of my pod. While I learned much of the devices, I never did find a way to bypass them."

Bra's eyes widened in wonder. She never imagined that her father would be the source of critical technological information. "You have to teach me everything you know about them!" she insisted.

Vegeta snorted derisively. "Do you honestly think we have enough time for that? While I have no doubt of your intelligence and ingenuity, it would still take several weeks to teach you what it took me several _years _to learn on my own. There is only enough time to teach you the units' basic principles."

A pleading look crossed the teenager's face. "But if you don't teach me everything, there might be some important detail left out… something that might be imperative to the repair process!"

The prince scratched his chin in thought. _The girl has a point,_ he conceded. _But it cannot be helped. There is no way I can explain to her everything I have learned._ As he stared into her wide, blue eyes, he couldn't help but to feel compelled to find a way to ensure her success. A thought came to his mind.

"Your species…" Vegeta inquired, "Is it a telepathic one?"

Bra tilted her head quizzically at her father, uncertain in which direction his thoughts were headed. "Uh… Yes, and no," she answered.

"Well? Which is it?"

With the thought of the human race in her mind, the teen explained, "Most of my people are not. The ability lies within them, but very few have developed the ability. For those that haven't, telepathy is written off as fantasy… science fiction."

"And to which category do you fall?" the prince asked.

Bra allowed a humble smile to grace her lips. "I lean towards the telepathic side."

Vegeta nodded his approval. The fact that the girl had some telepathic abilities might make this a bit easier. If he could form a link with her, then he could essentially show her all that he knew… _instantaneously_. The problem was that he'd be sacrificing a huge chunk of his pride and integrity by forming a link with a _non _-saiyan, something he had vowed never to do.

The only reason the prince could allow himself to do something so degrading was because he knew that it was the only way all four of them would have a chance to escape this toxic planet. The girl had been right in the fact that their time here was very short. This was only their third day here and despite the measures they had been taking, he could feel a lethargy starting to sap him of his energy. There was a dull ache in his joints that had been growing more noticeable throughout that afternoon and evening. While his symptoms were mild, he knew that Nappa and Raditz were feeling the effects much more strongly than he was. Not a single one of them would openly admit that they were very slowly falling ill, but they all knew it. With this thought in mind, Vegeta took a seat at the table across from the girl and opened himself up to her. He sent a tendril of mental energy towards her, hoping that she'd be receptive to him.

Bra immediately felt Vegeta's mental presence brush against the outermost mental barrier she had erected, one of several layers she had created when she had shut herself off from Raditz two nights ago. She was immediately nervous and fretful about forming a link with the prince. If she let him in, would she be able to keep her secrets from him? Fearing the danger, she hesitated.

Vegeta could feel the very strong barrier protecting Bra's mind. He might have been able to break through her mental wall, but he didn't attempt it for two reasons. The first was that he wasn't certain whose mind was stronger; his or hers. If he made the attempt, one or both of them might suffer from severe mental repercussions. The second reason was the fact that forcing oneself into another's mind was a huge violation in saiyan culture. And while Vegeta may not be the most virtuous person in the galaxy, he certainly upheld his honor when it came to practicing the beliefs of his native people.

Irritated that the girl was resisting the link, the prince snarled, "What's the matter, girl? Why won't you accept me? I won't control your mind, if that's what you're so afraid of."

The halfling knew that she'd have to let go of her fear and accept the link with her father. She had easily deduced why he was willing to form a bond with her – to give her a telepathic crash course of the tracking unit's design and operation. But she wouldn't accept a link from her father without taking certain precautions first. Bra quickly isolated the portions of her mind that controlled her thoughts and emotions and those that stored her memories. She quickly subdued these areas, envisioning them as dark, inky voids in her mind, camouflaging them as empty recesses.

Bra most certainly could have erected barriers around these sectors of her mind, but that would make it obvious where she was hiding all of her personal information. And she knew that this would only tempt her father to try to penetrate these areas. Because he was both a full-blooded saiyan and a royal one, his telepathy had always been stronger than her own. At least, in _her_ era, it had been. She wasn't certain if this held true here in the past. But she wasn't going to take a risk to find out.

So, the teen opted to camouflage these vital parts of her mind. By disguising them and making them completely invisible, Vegeta's mental presence could essentially pass through these areas, unaware that he was doing so, while being completely blind to the secrets held within. It would be like walking through a dense forest and unknowingly stumbling into a boggy swamp. Even if one knew that he or she had come across such a swamp, one wouldn't be able to see through the black waters to discover what mysteries lie beneath the surface.

When Bra was done with her preparations, she allowed a tendril of her own mental energy to seep through the outermost layers of her mental walls, tenderly reaching out to the one seeking entrance into her mind. When the ends of the two tendrils came close to one another, they suddenly and instantly locked onto one another like the polar opposites of two magnets snapping together.

The connections came so fast that Vegeta nearly reeled over as a wave of vertigo assaulted him. When he had made contact with the girl's mental wall, he suspected that her telepathy was much stronger than she had first alluded. Now, he realized, her abilities were many times stronger than he had predicted. The bond that he found himself sharing with her was much more intense than he had anticipated. He had planned on forming the simplest of bonds with her – the squad bond – in order to accomplish their common goal of fixing the tracking unit. But the resulting bond that had clicked into place felt much more… intimate. He couldn't explain it. There was an odd familiarity about it that he couldn't identify.

Bra was almost as befuddled as Vegeta was. As she had tentatively reached towards her father's mental energy, she thought she was being extremely careful. She didn't want to accidentally form a bond that was too strong with her father, fearing that it would rouse suspicion. She had failed miserably. Her instincts had overridden her caution and as soon as they had sensed her father's mental presence, they had latched onto it and refused to let go.

The teenager gasped as she felt, for the first time in over six months, her father's mental presence mix with her own. The experience was completely overwhelming. In one single moment of reunion, the girl felt joy, fear, excitement, anxiety, relief, and uncertainty. Experiencing an emotional overload, the only thing she could do was sit, frozen in place, as she stared at her father with wide eyes. She was grateful that she had prepared herself by concealing her emotions before attempting the bond. Simply feeling her father's mental presence after so long was enough to bring tears to her eyes. It took everything she had not to shed them. Fortunately, Vegeta was too distracted by his end of the experience to notice her visible reaction. As she watched her father try to understand what had just happened, she sat and waited for his next move.

Eventually, Vegeta recovered from the shock of feeling Bra's overzealous telepathic strength. He looked at her with a genuinely curious look in his eyes. Bra could feel his wonder and, at the same time, his unsettlement. She could feel the questions stirring in his mind… how could such a strong bond have been created so quickly?

"I-I'm sorry," Bra stammered. "I didn't mean to…"

Vegeta raised a hand to silence her. He closed his eyes and collected himself. Even though he couldn't explain, or even describe, the link he had formed with her, he decided that it was unproductive to dwell on it. What was done, was done. What he didn't realize, because he couldn't possibly fathom the possibility, was the fact that Bra had accidentally formed a kinship bond with him. The only explanation he could accept for the overbearing bond they now shared was that her mental abilities were simply _that _strong. Much stronger than his own, he believed. Vegeta knew that he was fortunate that she held no malicious intent towards him. Otherwise, he might have found himself at her mercy.

"I wouldn't do that to you," Bra mumbled meekly, picking up on his stray thoughts.

Realizing that he had left himself far _too_ open with the girl, Vegeta reinforced his own mental barriers. He wasn't sure if they were enough to keep her out, but they were strong enough to tell her what boundaries inside his mind she was not allowed to cross. Somehow, he knew that she would respect those boundaries.

Curious to know what limits the girl had set in place within her own mind, the prince cautiously delved into their link to explore her thoughts. She readily allowed him through all of the mental barriers she had erected, the barriers which, moments ago, had kept him completely at bay. As soon as he had access to her mind, he was bombarded with an endless and chaotic mixture of advanced scientific theories, vast technological knowledge, and complex mathematic equations.

The rapid succession of information firing through Bra's mind was daunting, to say the least. Under normal circumstances, the complicated algorithms and hypothesis currently occupying her mind would have been far beyond Vegeta's understanding. But while having access to her mind, he strangely found that he could easily comprehend the most complex ideas wandering through her head. It was as if he was linked to more than just her mind, but also her analytical and synoptic abilities.

The prince was completely awestruck by the girl's brilliant mind. He couldn't believe that he had ever doubted her skills. He knew one thing was for certain – Frieza must _never_ learn of this girl's abilities. If the lizard lord ever had her under his employ, the results would be devastating. Who knew what sorts of malevolent technologies he would demand her to conjure up. Vegeta vowed that he would have to keep this girl his own little secret. Perhaps she would come in very useful in his plans to overthrow the tyrant.

Bra allowed her father free reign of her mind, allowing him to gain her trust before they proceeded. Although he kept his thoughts very guarded, she could still feel an inkling of them from beyond his mental walls. She sensed that he was impressed by her capabilities and she couldn't help feeling pride and joy at having her father's approval. But then she felt that his thoughts started taking a darker turn. She wasn't exactly sure what those plotting thoughts entailed, but they gave her a bad feeling.

After Vegeta overcame the shock and awe he felt after discovering Bra's vast intelligence, he made a startling discovery. Beneath the complex equations and advanced theories, her mind was a completely hollow and blank slate. No emotions. No opinions. No memories. It was as if she didn't exist as a person. It was an eerie and unsettling feeling, one that sent a jolt of anxiety through his core. He opened his eyes and stared at the girl.

"What the hell _are _you?" the royal man gasped after feeling absolutely nothing from her. "Are you some kind of machine?"

Bra gave her father a quizzical look. "No. Not at all." She realized that perhaps she had overdone it when she had completely concealed every shred of personal information about herself.

"Then why the hell can I not read anything from you?" he demanded. "Why do you feel as though you are lifeless?"

A nervous laugh sprang from the teen's mouth. "Oh, _that_… Well, with everything thing you've seen in my head so far, I didn't want to risk burdening you with all the other thoughts going through my mind… y'know… the ones that you'd likely find useless and trivial."

Vegeta narrowed his eyes in warning at the suspicious girl.

With a tone that was a little more serious, Bra added, "Look. You've made it more than obvious that you _hate_ it when my emotions get carried away. And that was _before_ you had access to my mind. Imagine what you'd have deal with if I'd have shared _all_ of my thoughts and emotions with you. Keep in mind that I'm a teenage girl carrying a lot of emotional baggage right now." And although it mortified her to say it, she concluded with, "And let's not forget about the premenstrual mood swings you'd have to suffer through as well. I'm sure you don't want to have to experience _that_."

Bra could feel her face burn brightly as she was certain that a deep blush had risen from her neck all the way up to her hairline. Chancing a glance at the prince, she was minimally relieved to see a pinkish tint to his cheeks as well. She had to laugh to herself. _Even in his youth, Daddy's still wary about certain feminine topics._

Vegeta cleared his throat and regained his composure. "Yes, I suppose you have a valid point," he conceded. He was not pleased, however, that she was being so evasive. He found it incredibly odd and unnerving that instead of revealing her thoughts and memories to him, she would chose to share with him the vast knowledge she had acquired; knowledge which might be dangerous if available to those with sinister intent. If her extensive intelligence was the lesser of the two evils she had decided to show him, then he could only wonder what it was that she was hiding from him.

"Shall we get started?" Bra interrupted Vegeta's thoughts. She had sensed his growing suspicions and wanted to move things along before he could question her true motives.

"Very well," the prince drawled.

Vegeta closed his eyes once again and retreated to his own mind and unlocked the information and memories he had of the tracking unit, allowing her to access the knowledge he had acquired about them over the years. Bra closed her eyes as well and, while trying not to appear too aggressive, she slowly crossed the link from her mind into his. Like herself, he had very carefully taken measures to protect his secrets from her. She found that he had left a very small portion of his mind available to her, being very careful about what he allowed her to access. His mind was so cut off from her that it felt almost claustrophobic. Even though he tried not to reveal it, she could tell that he was very nervous about allowing her into his mind.

_"Here,"_ Vegeta said telepathically as he forced his knowledge of the tracking unit to the forefront of his mind.

Bra allowed her father to present the information to her at his own pace. She didn't force or coerce anything from him. She simply allowed him to have control over what he shared with her. At first, the knowledge and experiences he had had while tinkering with and dismantling tracking devices over the years came very slowly. She wondered if this method of learning would really be any quicker than if he had explained things orally. But the pace began to quicken. Images flashed faster and faster before her until it was like she was thumbing through a stack of index cards and photographs. In a matter of minutes, she had taken in everything he remembered about the tracking units.

The problem, however, was that Vegeta's memories of the devices were not completely clear or concise. They had become muddled with time. While watching his memories unfold, Bra had learned that he had long ago given up on trying to successfully deactivate the tracking units and it had been several years since he had last experimented with one. The knowledge he had retained was very useful, but it was still very foggy. There was information about the components that he had once learned but had forgotten or was now unsure about. The problem this posed was that it made the information she had acquired from him inaccurate and incomplete. And, unfortunately, she couldn't use corrupted data to recreate (or circumvent) the device successfully.

But Bra had an idea. _"Do you mind if I tried something?"_ she asked.

She could sense her father's wariness as he inquired, _"Try what, exactly?"_

Speaking out loud, Bra said, "The information you have is incomplete… because your memories have deteriorated over time." Sensing that her father was about to take offense to her assessment, she explained, "It's not because your mind is weak or anything. It just happens… most people don't retain information that they don't use on a daily basis."

The prince gave her a challenging glare. "Oh? And I suppose _you_ do?"

Trying not to sound too boastful, the blunette answered, "As a matter of fact, I do. I inherited an eidetic memory from my mother. I'm hoping that this ability will help me with what I want to try."

"And what is it that you wish to attempt?" Vegeta demanded.

"I want to try to restore your memories. Make them clearer and in greater detail."

The prince quirked an eyebrow at the girl even though the gesture was lost on her since her blue orbs remained closed. "You can do that?"

"I don't know. I've never tried before."

"Then how do you plan on doing it?"

Bra opened her eyes and looked at her father. "Well, I want you to replay the memories you gave me. Only this time, instead of being a witness, I'm going to become an active participant. I'm hoping that if I can absorb myself into your memories, I might be able to enhance them by unlocking the details that have been lost to your conscious mind but are still stored in your subconscious memory."

Vegeta eyed her very warily. He wasn't comfortable with the idea of allowing her to have any control over his thoughts or memories. He stared her down, gauging her, trying to decide whether he could trust her or not. Looking into her eyes, he saw nothing but her honest and earnest desire to try, especially if it meant that she'd get them safely off of this world. He also saw in her eyes that she was well aware of his distrust of her and she silently promised that she wouldn't do anything that would harm him. She pleaded for him to put his faith in her. Seeing all of this swayed his decision. He was going to let her try. Something told him, on an instinctual level, that he could put his trust in her despite the innumerable amount of secrets she kept from him.

The royal man closed his eyes once again. Bra followed suit. Vegeta began to play back the information to the girl once again, as per her request. Only this time, as he went through the scenes, her presence in his mind was much stronger. He could feel Bra straining to unlock the portions of his memories that had grown dim over the years. To his amazement, he began to notice that his memories were a little more detailed, a little more vibrant, and a little more clear. Not by much, but just enough to notice a difference. This enhancement was most noticeable in the memories that were most recent, likely because they were more fresh in his mind and much easier to unravel.

When all of Vegeta's knowledge had been replayed to Bra, she sent only one word into his mind. _"Again."_

The flame-haired saiyan was a little annoyed with the girl's demand, but he was also intrigued by her progress and he obeyed her request. For a third time, he showed her his memories. Bra's influence was even stronger this time around, taking Vegeta slightly by surprise, as she requisitioned a little more control over the images. He found that his memories became even more focused. Again and again, they went through his bank of information. Every time, Bra took more and more control until Vegeta eventually found that he was the passenger and she was completely driving the effort. She had come to a point where she was manipulating each snippet of knowledge, adjusting and enhancing each one, comparing some to others. He was awestruck that, by the time she had taken complete control, he was watching his memories as if the current reality had melted away and he was reliving each and every memory as if he were actually there, experiencing all of them within the span of fractions of a second.

Vegeta found it hard to believe that the girl had never done this before with someone's memories. She seemed to be a professional. He began to doubt her claim that this ability was new to her, and thus, his trust in her began to wane. These thoughts were picked up by the girl despite how engrossed in her task she had become. He knew this because she had responded to his bewilderment, not with words (because she was too focused on her task), but by impressing upon him her reassurances that she had never attempted this feat before, let alone even fathomed the possibility.

That the teenager had managed to realize such a skill so quickly was an unnerving thought. The prince acknowledged that such a talent was yet another dangerous ability that the girl possessed. What a terrible idea, to think that, in the wrong hands, this ability could be used against someone. Such an ability could be used to alter one's memories. Vital memories could be erased. Terrible memories could be dredged to the surface, forcing one to relive horrific experiences over and over again. Vegeta was no exception, having a lifetime of horrible experiences filed away in the dark corners of his mind.

A perfect example of such an experience had occurred when the royal man was still a boy of ten cycles. This particular memory had taken place very shortly after he had decimated a tracking unit in the pod he had been using at the time. It was at that age that he had decided that he would try to escape Frieza's grasp. This particular incident had been the third time – no, _fourth_ time, he realized, thanks to Bra's ability to bring his memories into perfect clarity – that he had tried to sabotage the tracking unit. Of course, Frieza was quite displeased with the young prince's behavior…

_"My dear, monkey prince," the ice lord cooed, "Why is it that you must break my things?"_

_ The boy said nothing, keeping his gaze cast downward. He focused on the white puffs of his warm breath as they met the icy air with each exhale. On his scalp, Vegeta could feel the sharp points of the lizard's claws as he lovingly ran his cold digits through the child's ebony locks. Every hair on the boy's body stood on end. He tried not to cringe beneath the arcosian's caress. The saiyan suppressed a violent shiver that threatened to climb up his spine. It was bad enough that Frieza's throne room was cold as ice, chilling the child to the bone. But it was fear that the young prince was trying so desperately to hide._

_ Frieza slowly strolled around the boy, caressing the child with his long, scaly tail. Vegeta stood still, allowing his master to do what he willed. Any attempt to protest or shrink away from the overlord would exacerbate and unleash the lizard's veiled disappointment and irritation. The saiyan child knew all too well that when facing Frieza, one hoped that the lizard would remain seated in his hover-throne because it meant that one wasn't likely to suffer from the lord's wrath. But should Frieza leave his chair, like he had done now, then the odds of escaping the arcosian's presence unscathed was next to nil._

_ "I don't take any enjoyment in punishing you, Vegeta. So why must you behave so rebelliously? Why, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to run away from me. Is that any way to show your gratitude for taking you under my care after your entire planet, your people, and your father died? Hmm?" With a violent shake and a snarl, Frieza demanded, "Answer me, monkey!"_

_ "N-no, Lord Frieza," Vegeta stammered in a shamefully low voice._

_ A cruel smirk spread across the ice lord's black, inky lips. Returning to a calmer tone, but no less sinister, he replied, "No, it isn't. So, unfortunately for you, I must punish you for your insubordination." The lizard came to a stop to stand in front of the small boy. "Now, let me see your hand, Vegeta."_

_ Vegeta looked up at Frieza with eyes filled with fear. He didn't know what punishment awaited him and was terrified to find out. But he was also too frightened to discover what would happen if he disobeyed. So the child tentatively removed the glove from his right hand and presented the appendage for the arcosian to take. Frieza grabbed the boy's small hand in his larger, white one, nearly engulfing it in his grasp. The child could not help but notice how the lizard's grip lacked any warmth._

_ "Now, Vegeta, how many of my space pods have you damaged so far? Five was it?"_

_ The young prince wanted to correct the lizard, to tell him that it was only four, but he was too petrified to speak._

_ Hearing no objection from the saiyan boy, Frieza continued, "Well, then, five it is. I've always believed in the idea of 'an eye for an eye'… or in this case, a finger for a pod…"_

_ Vegeta's eyes widened even greater in fear. But before he could prepare himself for what was to come, Frieza pressed his thumb against the boy's pinky finger, bending it backwards until it snapped with a loud 'crack.' The pain was excruciating, searing through his finger, his hand, and all the way up his arm. But he suppressed his reaction as best as he could. He winced and a small whimper escaped his lips, but he allowed no other reaction. He knew all too well that showing weakness would only make matters worse._

_ "That's one," the ice lord taunted and then snapped the next finger down the row. "That's two."_

_ A louder cry escaped Vegeta's lips as another wave of pain crashed along already sensitive nerves. Reflexively, he tried to jerk his arm away from the tyrant, but he went nowhere as the monster held the boy's broken hand firmly in place. Frieza slowly pressed on Vegeta's middle finger, drawing out his suffering. The boy could feel muscle and tendon slowly stretch beyond its limits, sending a white hot fire down the center of his hand and wrist. When the digit finally popped, the boy wailed and hot tears streamed down his cheeks._

_ "Please stop!" Vegeta cried. "I've learned my lesson! I won't do it again!"_

_ "Oh, but my dear monkey, your punishment isn't over yet," Frieza replied in a saccharine voice._

_ Cruelly, the arcosian snapped the next finger. Vegeta howled. The pain was unbearable. Tears and snot ran down his face. The small prince pressed his free hand against Frieza's torso and tried to pull his damaged arm away, desperate to free himself from the lizard's clutches. _

_ "Just one more to go," the ice lord cooed encouragingly. "Just be still and this will all be over soon enough." With no mercy, he pressed Vegeta's thumb backwards against the joint until it was dislocated. Only then did he release the boy's hand._

_ The saiyan child fell to the cold floor, writhing in agony. He clutched his wounded hand protectively to his chest, cradling it in his good hand. He lay in a fetal position, crying in shame and humiliation and misery. The appendage throbbed with every beat of his heart, with every pulse of blood that ran through his veins. He couldn't even bear to spare more than a glance at his mutilated hand, to see every one of his fingers twisted and contorted in unnatural angles. His hand hurt so badly, he didn't even care that the monster responsible was standing over him._

_ Frieza stared down at the young prince with cold, dead eyes. "I hope you don't forget this lesson, Vegeta. I'd hate to have to break the fingers on _both_ of your hands next time."_

As the memory drew to a close, Vegeta felt as if he were being physically jerked into another plane of existence. The scene in front of him blurred and shifted. Colors washed away. Objects faded. The chill in the air disappeared. Frieza's looming figure and his sinister laugh faded. The overstimulation caused Vegeta's head to swim as vertigo rocked his senses. When his balance stabilized, he opened his eyes to find that he was not a ten-cycles-old child. He was not on Frieza's flagship. And his fingers were not broken and thumping with pain. The memory had been so vivid, so _lifelike_. The sights, the smells, the sensations – they had all been so _real_. So real, in fact, that he had forgotten where he truly was. He had actually started to believe that he _was_ that small child in his memory.

When the prince realized that that was all it was – a memory – he looked up at Bra. She was silently staring at him from across the table with wide, watery eyes. Tears had spilled down her cheeks. Her right hand was held protectively in her left, held securely against her chest. She looked traumatized. He immediately knew that not only had she witnessed this memory, but she had relived it right alongside him. He realized that it had been her presence that had made the memory so realistic that he had gotten lost inside of it. And he deduced that it was her influence that had pulled him out of it in the end.

Vegeta was instantly enraged. He knew that he never should have trusted that girl! Now she had been privy to a very humiliating experience in his life! Sure, he had suffered far worse under Frieza. But this girl had no business seeing such personal afflictions! This was all _her_ fault! And that _look_ she was giving him! He balled his hands into fists. The tip of his tail curled and uncurled with irritation. And he cast her the ugliest sneer he could muster.

"How _dare_ you," the prince snarled in a low, menacing voice. "How _dare _you invade my privacy!"

"I-I-I didn't—" Bra stammered.

"Don't you dare feed me your lies, girl!" Vegeta interrupted her as he leapt to his feet.

The royal man shoved the table between them to the side, removing any obstacle that might serve as a barrier to protect her. Some of the tools and hardware slid off of the table from the force of the disturbance and clattered onto the hardwood floor. Bra quickly slid out of her chair, placing it in front of her as she watched her father with wary eyes. The prince slowly approached her, his fists clenching and unclenching as he closed the distance between them.

Vegeta sneered, "Who the _fuck_ do you think you are? To violate my personal thoughts like so? How _dare_ you intrude where you were not invited and help yourself to my private memories!"

The prince ripped the chair from Bra's grasp and threw it to the side. It crashed into the wall behind the bar and splintered into pieces. The girl fearfully continued to back away from her irrational father. _How can I make him understand?_ she fretted. _How can I convince him that it wasn't my fault?_ She could tell that the man was fractions of a second away from unleashing his wrath upon her. His escalating ki was more than enough to indicate his volatility.

As the teenager gauged the saiyan's growing ki, she noticed that it was weaker than normal. _He's starting to feel the effects of the radiation exposure,_ she deduced. _But he's still very strong. Even with my own symptoms, I could still defend myself against him, but not without raising a lot of questions. I have to diffuse this before it gets out of hand! But how? _ She knew that she had to do something and she had to do it quickly.

Vegeta slowly followed his prey through the dining room, allowing his anger to fester and grow. He allowed his ki to pool in the palms of his hands, itching for a reason to release it at the girl in a deadly blast. In that moment, he didn't give two shits about how valuable she was. She had committed a treasonous crime against him! A violation of his mind! Her punishment ought to be death! There were three functional pods now, thanks to her. He could kill her and be done with her. He really had no more use for her. Her death would negate the need to repair the fourth pod and he and his men could be on their way!

A crackle of electricity sparked across the flame-haired man's fingertips. A devilish smirk spread across his lips as the girl backed herself up against a wall in her pathetic attempt to avoid his ire. Having made up his mind to finish the girl, he organized the erratic ki in his hands into tightly formed balls of energy. Just as he was about to release the two deadly orbs, a wave of emotion suddenly flooded his senses and he froze.

The sensation caught the prince off guard as he experienced a combination of emotions that were not his own. He felt awe and admiration. And deep respect. These weren't just feelings being directed at him either. To his surprise, these were emotions that were felt _about_ him. And, to his astonishment, they were coming from the girl. The tiny, little, oddly-colored girl who was standing before him; she, who was practically paralyzed with fear. Fear that he could see but couldn't sense from her because she refused to allow him to feel it. Because she didn't want him to think that the respect she felt for him was out of fear from his wrath, his power, or his title. She wanted him to know that she respected him for who he was and that her respect for him was so strong that she would never dream of intentionally invading his privacy. For this reason and this reason alone, he hesitated.

_"Why?"_ Vegeta asked the girl. He wanted to know several things, and that single telepathic word demanded an explanation for all the things he didn't quite understand. Why had she stolen that memory from him if it wasn't her intention to do so? Why did she feel so in awe of him? Why was he a source for her admiration? Why did she respect him so unyieldingly when it wasn't his reputation that solicited that respect?

Bra warily eyed the ki balls in her father's hands. She knew she had bought herself a few precious moments to explain herself. She started with her accidental invasion of his privacy.

"I didn't have any control over your memories," the teenager quietly replied. "At least, not any control over which ones I saw." She paused a moment, trying to find the words to explain what had happened. "I only had control over the memories of the tracking device. You saw that… All I was doing was pulling forth forgotten details of those memories so that I could learn more about the device. But then…"

Bra's eyes grew distant as if she were seeing something else in front of her eyes. "But then that other memory came forth. It completely filtered out what I was doing with your other memories. I was so deep into the process of enhancing them, that when that one came to the forefront of your mind, there was nothing I could do. I couldn't stop myself from witnessing that memory. I _tried_ to. I swear I did. But you were too strong… and I was drawn in. And the memory enhancement… it just continued once I was inside that memory. I-I just… I couldn't stop myself from making it more detailed… more vivid. At least, I couldn't stop it immediately. Do you know what it's like trying to stop a _**freight train**_?"

Of course, Vegeta didn't know what a freight train was and the halfling knew this almost as soon as the words left her mouth. She quickly supplied him with an image of a speeding locomotive, dozens upon dozens of cars in length. Then she showed him how difficult stopping one was. How long it would take in minutes and miles to safely come to a halt. Then she supplied an image of a train that failed to come to a safe stop. She showed him a train derailing, the cars piling up, a horrific and fiery crash scene.

Vegeta understood the analogy. Bra's processing of his memories were like the unstoppable locomotive. Her attempt to stop the process was like trying to stop this 'freight train.' It required time. Trying to stop the memory enhancement too quickly was nigh impossible. Doing so could have caused dangerous side-effects. She had tried her best to respect his privacy. She had tried valiantly to withdraw from the memory as soon as it had entered his mind. But she hadn't been able to do so quickly enough.

Learning this much, the prince's wrath had settled somewhat. _The girl's abilities are strong, but if what she says is true, then there are limits,_ he theorized. _Though she can enhance memories, it appears she cannot choose what memories she has access to in another's mind. _ The thought offered the prince some comfort, but he was far from being appeased. The fact remained that she had seen more than she was intended to see. Intentional or not, she had still violated his mind and his trust. But most of all, she had just proven to him that his fears were correct – her mind was a very dangerous thing, despite its limitations. Even if he decided to pardon her for her transgression, he couldn't allow her to live. It was far too risky.

But before Vegeta killed Bra, he needed to know the answers to his other unspoken questions. She hadn't yet told him why she regarded him with such reverence. If it wasn't his reputation, his status, his strength, or his line of work that caused her to have amassed such tremendous respect for him, then what was it? Wordlessly, he implored her once again, allowing his inquiry to seep through their recently formed link.

The girl warily eyed the twin spheres of blue energy in her father's hands as she felt his silent interrogation. She knew the ki balls were very powerful, but she also knew that she had enough strength to deflect them if it came to it. Confident that her father's pending attack could be easily diverted, she never considered the fact that he was preparing to use force that he considered lethal. It simply didn't cross her mind that he was so very close to killing her – or, at least, _attempting_ to. Even though she knew she could defend herself from his attack, she preferred to settle this situation without being forced to do so. She would rather have this confrontation unfold without drawing any suspicion.

Bra tried to formulate an answer that would appease her father, but found it was difficult to put into words. So she used imagery and sensations to convey her message. She replayed pieces of his memories while accompanying the scenes with her emotions to narrate her thoughts. She recalled the final moments of the memory with Frieza. Omitting the sensations of fear, pain, humiliation, and distress that Vegeta had felt at the time of this incident, Bra revealed her stunned reaction to the memory. It was an almost voyeuristic experience for the flame-haired man, being placed, once again, in his memory… only this time, without any of the powerful and overwhelming sensations. The girl recited Frieza's words using the lizard's voice. _"I hope you don't forget this lesson, Vegeta. I'd hate to have to break the fingers on _both_ of yourhands next time."_

The scene immediately changed after that. The blunette brought forth a memory from very shortly after the incident with Frieza. In it, Vegeta was once again attempting to rewire the tracking unit in his pod. The scene shifted again. She called forth yet another memory of his tinkering with the device. And then another. And another.

Accompanying all of these images, Bra allowed her father to feel her reaction to his defiance of the ice lord's orders. She admired him greatly for the fact that he would take such huge risks so very shortly after receiving such a terrible punishment from the arcosian prince. She was in awe of his bravery and determination. And she respected his strength. Not his physical strength. Not his ki strength. But his strength of character, for having endured through Frieza's sadistic forms of torture and for his unwillingness to allow such horrific experiences from deterring him from his goals.

After she was done, Bra withdrew from her father's mind. Out loud, she summarized, "He did that to you, but it didn't stop you. You kept at it, didn't you? You know… trying to find a way to escape… even though you knew what would happen if you kept trying. You didn't give up. At least, not until you came to the conclusion that you couldn't alter the tracking device. And by then, your goal had changed anyway. You no longer wanted to run from Frieza. You want to become strong enough to defeat him. And I totally get that. Because it's the same for me, too. I have to become strong enough to defeat the ones responsible for killing my family and friends."

Vegeta extinguished the ki balls in his hands. The girl's revelations left him completely stunned. At a loss. There were only a few people in the entire galaxy who gave Vegeta any shred of respect. Those who did, did so out of fear or out of duty. But this girl… she was genuine. Her respect for him was rooted in different reasons. She admired him for his ability to overcome his trials and challenges. Because she hoped to be like him… to be able to overcome her own obstacles. Obstacles which were eerily like his own. And how could he rob her of her goals by taking her life away from her, knowing that her goals were almost the same as his own? No. He wouldn't steal her revenge from her. Just like he wouldn't want someone else stealing his revenge away from him.

What truly baffled the flame-haired man's mind was the distinct impression he had gotten from the girl that she viewed him as a good person. She saw him as some sort of role model. A source of inspiration. He bared his teeth as he contemplated this idea. It was ludicrous! It was laughable! It was sickening! He wasn't a good person! He was a murderer. He was an enslaver of races. He was a planet purger. He was the prince of all saiyans! He wasn't nice, or good, or anything of the sort!

Vegeta couldn't stand to be viewed in such a positive light. He found that it brought him great discomfort. For the first time since his childhood, he felt shame and humiliation for the atrocious deeds he had committed. He didn't deserve to be thought of so highly. The barbaric actions of his past conflicted with such idolatry. He was no hero. That was why he couldn't tolerate the girl looking at him with such hero-worship. He didn't like how her admiration elicited the sort of emotions he was now feeling; the types of emotions that he had spent countless years eradicating from his psyche while serving under Lord Frieza.

The prince slammed his mental walls in place, forcing the girl completely out of his mind. As far as he was concerned, he was done with her for one evening. There would be no more telepathic communications between them. She was doing something to him. He was sure of it. There was some sort of witchcraft involved here. She was making him think differently. She was making him _feel_ again. And he couldn't have any of that. He deduced that she had used the same sort of witchcraft to enthrall Raditz. Vegeta saw where that had landed the third-class. And the prince was damn certain that he wasn't going to be bewitched by the girl in the same manner. Without a word, he whirled around and practically stomped towards the exit.

Bra was alarmed by Vegeta's sudden retreat; both from her mind and her presence. "Wait!" she called to him in desperation. "Where are you going? We're not done yet!"

Vegeta stopped at the doorway. "As far as _I'm_ concerned, we are," he snarled.

"But… I didn't get to finish processing your memories about the tracking unit!" the halfling protested as she bravely took a few steps towards him. "I still need your help."

The royal man spun around and stomped towards her, closing the distance between them and extending a menacing finger at her. "I have shown you enough! You can figure out the rest on your own!"

Weighing her need for his help as being of greater importance than her own safety, Bra took a risk and gently clasped Vegeta's extended hand between her own. "Please," she pleaded. "I think I can recreate the unit, but I don't have enough information yet. Please help me."

As if her hands were made of acid, Vegeta pulled his hand out of Bra's grasp. She dropped her hands to her sides. Her large, blue eyes bore into his, beckoning him to acquiesce to her plea. _She is quite the determined one,_ the prince admitted. He couldn't help but to feel a twinge of admiration for this quality of hers, this strength of will, for it reminded him of his own tenacity and resolve. He knew that she was aware of the dangers and risks involved with imploring him for his continued assistance, yet she refused to be deterred. He respected that sort of courage.

Begrudgingly, the royal saiyan caved in to the teenager's appeal. He didn't like that he was doing so. He didn't rightfully know why he was doing it. And he didn't like that she was having such an effect on him. Perhaps he had already succumbed to her sorcery and had only come to realize it too late.

"Fine," Vegeta snarled.

Bra's eyes widened in surprise, then delight, as the single word of agreement sunk in. An ecstatic grin stretched across her face. She honestly didn't believe that the prince would be compliant. She really thought that he was going to walk away from her and leave her to rely solely on herself. The girl was so thrilled that she felt like dancing. But she very forcefully subdued that desire. She didn't want such an exaggerated display of emotion to cause her father to reconsider his decision.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" the blue-haired girl gushed her gratitude.

"Don't be so grateful," the prince warned. "I'm only giving you half a decimark. After that, whether or not you've acquired the information you need, you will be on your own."

Bra's smile didn't wane. "That should be plenty of time," she promised.

Vegeta watched as Bra retrieved a new chair from a nearby table and set it down at her work station. She was almost merry as she collected the scattered tools and computer parts that had fallen to the floor when her father had shoved the table out of his way. As he observed her cheerful behavior, he was again unsettled by the way she looked at him, the way she regarded him. Although she knew who he was, what he had done, and what he was capable of doing, she viewed him with unwaveringly high regard. And he couldn't understand why.

As he had done for the past two days, Raditz waited an exceptionally long time after food had been served before he made an attempt to partake in the meal. In the aftermath of Bra's rejection, it had become far too difficult for him to share a meal with her. Even though their situation on this planet was different than before, even though the act of eating the food she prepared twice daily was not the same as the mutual provision and exchange of food they had engaged in during their travels thus far, the mere act of sitting down at the table with her to consume the meals she toiled over was far too similar to the saiyan courtship rituals they had previously fallen into. It would have been far too painful to sit and eat with her, knowing that she was feeding him out of duty rather than a desire to pursue him as a mate.

* * *

The long-haired man waited until the sky started to dim before he headed towards the tavern where his cold dinner was surely waiting for him. He climbed the four rickety, rotting steps up onto the tavern's front patio and crossed to the main entrance. He opened the large door to the facility's small, front lobby and stepped inside. The second, interior door had long ago been torn from its hinges. The door itself was completely missing. So as Raditz stood in the vestibule, concealed within the shadows being cast from the green-white light source inside the dining area, he realized that Bra had not yet vacated the tavern.

Raditz found himself in a conundrum. On one hand, he wanted to avoid having to see the object of his affection. Neither he nor his inner instincts had yet come to terms with her rejection. Being in such close proximity with her would reopen the emotional, mental, and instinctual wounds; wounds that had had barely any amount of time to begin healing. Even now, just _knowing_ she was beyond the open doorway in front of him was enough to stir his inner beast.

On the other hand, the third-class saiyan was famished. The paltry meals were hardly enough to survive on. The little he had had to eat that day had been several hours ago. His empty stomach twisted in knots. He knew that he had to eat something. He could feel his strength waning from lack of nutrients and calories. His own body was starting to consume itself. Knowing that his survival depended on the small supper waiting for him, the saiyan decided that he would suffer with Bra's presence rather than suffer with starvation.

Raditz stepped into the doorway and froze. He realized how foolish he had been, to not activate his scouter before entering the tavern. Coming to stand in the line-of-sight of the entire dining room, he saw that not only was Bra seated at one of the tables, but so, too, was Prince Vegeta. While the blue-haired girl sat with her back towards the entrance, the flame-haired man sat across from her, almost facing Raditz. Fortunately, the prince sat with his eyes closed. With his head bowed and arms crossed over his chest, Vegeta seemed to be at rest. On the contrary, his eyebrows, furrowed in concentration, revealed that he was concentrating very deeply.

Bra, on the other hand, appeared to be tinkering with a project. Under the light of several green orbs of ki that were so bright they were almost white in color, she leaned over the table as she worked on whatever device it was that sat in front of her. Raditz couldn't see what it was she was doing since her tiny body was blocking his view. He had no doubt that she was doing some sort of repair for one of the pods.

The real question plaguing Raditz's mind was why Vegeta saw fit to accompany Bra. Was he supervising the girl? Possibly. Did he distrust her? Not unlikely. Did he want her to work faster? Most certainly. Was he trying to learn something from her? Perhaps. Had he come to offer her his assistance? Maybe. Had he sought her out for her company? Hopefully not.

Whatever Vegeta's purpose had been, Raditz found himself filled with a bitter jealousy at seeing the prince seated so casually with Bra. The long-haired man quietly seethed. He clenched his fists into tight balls as he struggled to keep his anger and jealousy from boiling to the surface. It enraged him to see Bra so easily weasel her way into Vegeta's interests. The girl had done so well to win his favor that the prince, who had only tolerated her presence beforehand, had chosen to grace her with his presence, his time, and his attention. The girl was quite crafty and devious to have already captivated the prince.

Bra sat up straight, as if she were taking a moment to inspect her project from a wider viewpoint. The sudden movement caught Raditz's attention. The girl seemed to be pondering something. She selected some sort of mechanical item from an assortment of parts on the table and held it up, as if she wanted Vegeta to see it. Without any audible prompt, the prince cracked his eyes open, glanced at the item, and closed his eyes again. Wordlessly, the girl returned to her work, assimilating the component into her project.

Their silent exchange stunned Raditz. Anxiety pierced his heart as he wondered if he had truly witnessed what he had just seen. That Vegeta and Bra had communicated with each other without speaking was indicative of one thing and one thing only… _My suspicions were correct all along,_ Raditz surmised as his anxiety slipped back into wrath. _The conniving wench _did_ form a bond with Prince Vegeta! I was merely too foolish to believe it…_

With the unbearable thought in mind and unable to watch the duo any longer, Raditz whirled around and exited the tavern as quickly as possible. He stomped across the patio, down the steps, across the intersection, past the pods, down along the side of the vacant store, and kept on going until he reached the back of said building. Once there, he released his pent up anger and frustration. He punched the structure's stone-block wall, causing the bricks to crack and crumble. Again and again, he threw punches at it until he had opened up a sizeable whole in the wall. The throbbing of his tenderized knuckles did little to mask the aches wrought by Bra's betrayal.

"What is your _problem_, third-class?" Nappa's question, in saiyashi, alerted Raditz to the fact that he had unwanted company.

Without turning to acknowledge the general, the long-haired man growled, "That is none of your concern."

But the bald-headed man already knew the answer. "You are angry seeing that blue-haired bitch get all cozy with the prince, are you not?"

Raditz turned around and glared at his superior. He opened his mouth to unleash a snarky retort, but upon looking at the other man, he became distracted. Even in the fading light, he could see that Nappa's color was pale and his head was coated in a sheen of sweat.

"What the hell is wrong with _you_?" the third-class man asked.

The mustachioed saiyan defensively snapped, "Nothing is wrong with me! It is _you_ who clearly has an issue!"

Raditz eyed his comrade speculatively, but didn't argue.

Satisfied with the long-haired man's silence, Nappa pressed his interrogation. "I know you have an infatuation with the girl. I know you want her for yourself. And I know how much it displeases you to see her with the prince. Denying it will do you no amount of good."

Gritting his teeth, Raditz averted his gaze. Although Nappa was correct, the third-class saiyan refused to confirm it.

Nappa continued, "We have something in common; it also displeases _me_ to see that wench getting so familiar with Vegeta. Although, it is for different reasons than yourself. I do not trust that girl. I do not like how Vegeta _does_ trust her. And I do not like to see him depend on her when she cannot be trusted."

Finally, Raditz spoke. "And what good is telling this to me?"

The giant grinned, happy to hear that he might have an ally in this particular dilemma. "I want you to help me, Raditz. I want you to help me prove to Vegeta that she is a scoundrel and a manipulator. That he ought to distance himself from her. Do this, and we will both get what we want. I will ensure the prince remains safe and protected and you can have your girl back." Adding darkly to himself, he thought, _Unless Vegeta decides to kill the bitch after realizing she is no longer worth keeping around._

Raditz weighed Nappa's proposal. The offer was extremely tempting. Allying himself with Nappa might provide him with the ability to show Bra how unworthy Vegeta was of her affections. Such a partnership might be the only opportunity he had to turn the girl away from the prince. And it might be the only way of getting her back.

Unfortunately, Raditz was well aware of Nappa's devious character. He knew that the older man had some sort of hidden agenda. And he was keenly aware that it would come at Bra's expense. After all, Nappa had no love for the teenager. Raditz knew that Nappa had been trying to figure out a way to get rid of the girl since the day he met her. In addition, Nappa certainly couldn't care less about Raditz's desires. So why would the general offer to help his subordinate reclaim the girl unless that wasn't his intention at all? As much as Raditz felt he would do anything to try to get Bra back, he wouldn't put her at risk to do so. He'd rather deal with the pain of seeing her in another's arms than see her injured… or worse.

"I appreciate the offer," Raditz finally answered, "but I shall have to decline."

Nappa sneered as the rejection was handed to him. "You will regret this, you weak coward! You could have had that girl all to yourself! I do not care what you would have done with her! But now… Now I will make certain that she will die!"

As angry as Nappa's threats made Raditz, the third-class knew that he wasn't physically strong enough, even when he was in top shape, to make the mustachioed man shut his mouth. Instead, Raditz turned his back on the fuming giant and walked away. Raditz knew that, under normal circumstances, such a blatant act of disrespect would have warranted an attack from the general. But if the physical evidence of Nappa's health was any indicator, the third-class knew that his superior was in no condition for a fight. His theory had proven itself right when Nappa failed to discipline him.

* * *

Date: Age 759, Fourth Galactic Quarter, Day 92 (Approx. 24 December, 759)  
Location: the fourth planet of an unexplored solar system

Early that morning, Bra woke to the sound of her smart-watch going off. Groggily, she stretched in the seat of her pod and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Reaching over to shut off the alarm, she glanced at the time and date on her smart-watch. She gave a small start when she saw "24 DEC 59" on its face. _Christmas Eve,_ she sadly realized. This knowledge brought forth a surge of homesickness as memories of her family, a huge and delicious dinner, and gift exchanges danced through her mind. Even though Bra was time-displaced and far from her home world, she felt the strong desire to observe the holiday nonetheless. She just wasn't sure yet how she was going to do so, if she could at all.

Moving onto other matters, the halfling almost regretted the fact that she had decided to wake up so early. It was bad enough that she had stayed up a bit late while working on the replacement tracking unit for Vegeta's pod. Having shorted herself some sleep on this end of the sleep spectrum as well, she hadn't given herself as much time under the restorative powers of her ship's healing unit. Not only was she tired, but she was feeling additionally drained since she hadn't allowed herself to recover from the previous day's radiation exposure. Then again, she had been noticing that the effects of the healing unit had been waning with each morning, as if its capabilities were limited. It seemed that the ship's healing functions weren't able to fully repair damage at cellular, molecular, and genetic levels.

Despite feeling very tired and slightly ill, Bra was determined to rise early on this day. She had successfully created a replica of the tracking unit for her father's pod the previous night. Today, it was all about getting his pod reprogrammed. Since she wanted as much time as possible to work on it, she decided she would rise sooner so she could get an earlier start on breakfast. If all went well, this would be one of their last meals on this desolate world.

The blunette exited her pod and made her way into the tavern. As she crossed the dining room-turned-workspace, she noticed the emptied, but soiled, dishes from Raditz's dinner. At the time she had been ordered by Vegeta to get some rest,Raditz's serving of food had remained cold and untouched. She was relieved to see that her former suitor had finally come around to eat. She collected the dishes and headed towards the doorway leading down into the basement kitchen.

A noise overhead stopped Bra in her tracks. She stilled herself and listened carefully. After a moment, she again heard the sound of soft footprints and quiet shuffling. Flexing her ki sense, she immediately registered Nappa's energy. But there was something wrong. His ki was weaker than normal, but kind of eratic. She decided to investigate.

The teenager set the dishes down on the bar and turned towards the stairway leading to the second floor. Several of the steps had caved in some time ago, so she levitated to the second floor balcony. The noises grew louder and louder as she made her way down the narrow hallway. She stopped in front of a door, behind which she could feel Nappa's fluctuating energy.

Curious and nervous, Bra pushed the door open slowly. A sickly stench immediately filled her nose. She covered her nose and mouth beneath the collar of her hoodie, desperate to block out the offensive odor. She stepped inside the room. Except for the sparse furniture, the small, dusty bedroom was vacant. An inner doorway led to a small, private bath… and Nappa.

As Bra crossed the room, she found a pile of dozens of empty canisters laying haphazardly on the floor on the opposite side of the bare bed. Unlike the rest of the room, which had a coating of dust, the canisters were free of debris and looked out of place in their relative cleanliness. Ignoring the sounds coming from the washroom for the moment, she picked up one of the empty containers and realized that it had once held food.

The demi-saiyan was instantly alarmed, assuming that Nappa had pillaged their meager supplies and had eaten it all during the night. But this canister looked unfamiliar to her. This was not one of the ones stored safely away in the basement pantry. So where had this, and the others, come from?

Before Bra could devise an answer, the sound of Nappa's retching interrupted her inspection. She discarded the empty container and approached the washroom and the giant. Upon entering the smaller chamber, she discovered that the general was leaning over the metal washtub. She noted that he was so weak that he was using the bathtub to support almost all of his weight. She looked over his shoulder to get a better look at him, to gauge how ill he was. She immediately regretted doing so when she saw the pool of vomit, bile, and blood mixing in with the layers of dirt and dust at the bottom of the tub.

The blue-haired girl clenched her eyes tight and immediately turned away, trying to burn the memory of Nappa's sickness out of her mind. There were a lot of things Bra could handle. She could handle bruised bodies. She could handle bloodied cuts and wounds. But she couldn't handle vomit. The sight and smell triggered her gag reflex and she nearly joined Nappa in his bout of sickness. But she barely managed to compose herself.

"Are you okay?" Bra finally croaked while keeping her distance.

Nappa didn't move but answered miserably, "Does it look like I'm okay?"

The teen realized that her question had been a stupid one to ask. Obviously he wasn't. "Uh… Stay right here. I'll be right back," she instructed as she began to formulate ways to help him.

"As if I'm in any condition to go anywhere," she heard Nappa grumble as she dashed away.

Several minutes later, Bra returned to the room with a few supplies. In her hands, she held a large vessel of cool, clear water, retrieved straight from the natural spring behind the tavern. Over her shoulder, she had slung a couple cloths. Having discovered them in a storage space akin to a linen closet, they were a little musty and dusty. Slightly deteriorated and with a few insect-chewed holes, the cloths were more like rags than the towels they had once been. When she had made her trip to the stream out back, she had brought the rags with her to rinse them out so they would be at least somewhat clean for Nappa's use.

Bra set the pail of water down on the wooden floor next to Nappa. Sitting down next to the bucket, she dipped one of the damp rags into the pail and soaked it with water. She offered the dripping cloth to Nappa. He eyes her warily but made no move to accept her assistance. The girl waited for him to take it, but when he seemed to refuse her help, she grew impatient.

"Are you gonna take this or do I have to wash that nastiness off of your face myself?" the teen demanded. "Quite honestly, I'd rather not do it cuz vomit makes me a little queasy."

Nappa snatched the rag from Bra's loose grip. Petulantly, he cleaned his face of the traces of bile that lingered on his lips and chin. As he washed himself, Bra pulled a small bowl from the pocket of her hoodie. She dipped that into the water vessel, filling it halfway, and then handed that to Nappa.

"Here," the girl offered. "To rinse your mouth."

With much less force than he had used to grab the cloth, the giant accepted the cup of water. He slowly sipped the cool liquid, swishing it around his mouth. When he spat into the soiled washtub, Bra looked away. She didn't want to see how his rinse water would mingle with the vomit and such at the bottom of the tub.

Finding a little more strength, Nappa refilled his cup. This time, instead of using the water to rinse his mouth, he took a few tentative sips in order to soothe this acid-burned throat. When he was done, he fell back away from the edge of the tub and sat with his back and head against the adjacent wall. Bra peeked at him, assessing his welfare while she retrieved the second cloth from her shoulder. After rewetting the rag and twisting the access water from it, she held that one out to Nappa.

"Put this on your head," the halfling gently suggested. "It'll help reduce your fever."

Nappa cracked an eye open and inspected the offering. After discarding his soiled rag, he took the clean one from her. He passed the rough cloth over the clammy flesh of his head and face a few times before settling it on top of his head and eyes. Then he leaned his head against the wall once again. For now, his nausea seemed to have passed, but he didn't yet trust his body not to get sick again should he attempt to rise from his seat on the hardwood floor.

Bra watched the giant with uncertainty. She had done what she could think of to help the mustachioed man, but felt as if she could do so much more. What else she could do, she wasn't sure. And because she wasn't sure, she felt useless and guilty.

"Why 're ya still here?" Nappa quietly groaned. "Don't ya got somethin' better to do?"

The demi-saiyan was a little surprised by the question. She truthfully answered, "I don't really know _why _I'm here… In case you need something, I guess."

The giant leaned his head forward and pealed the cloth from his head. As he dunked the rag into the water and rang it out, he sneered, "Why? It's not like I'm any concern of _yers_."

The question, the accusation, the petulant tone of Nappa's voice… they bothered Bra. It was almost like the situation when she had to help Raditz after he had been poisoned by the matopoids. Like Raditz had behaved back then, Nappa seemed to be extremely unaccustomed to the kindness and charity of others. The difference between then and now was that Nappa wanted nothing to do with her and was very reluctant to accept her help.

"That's really not true," Bra weakly argued. "Prince Vegeta made me part of this squad. Remember? That means that whatever happens to any of you guys _is_ part of my concern."

Nappa gave the teen a hard look. "Ye're full of shit. Why do ya care so much? Why would ya want to?"

The blue-haired genius furrowed her brows at her companion. "Why?" she repeated. "Why _not_?" she challenged snidely. "Look. I know that you and I started off on bad terms. I know that you don't like me. That's rather obvious. And the feeling is quite mutual, I promise you. But just because I don't like you much doesn't mean I enjoy seeing you hurt or sick or suffering."

"Why?"

The uncertainty behind the single-worded question blew Bra's mind away. _What kind of lives have they been living when they honest-to-Dende call into question the motives of someone who genuinely wants nothing more than to help them?_ she pondered. _Is everyone in the universe so cruel to each other that there has to be a motive of self-interest in order to _not_ cause or continue harm upon another?_

When Bra found herself unable to answer immediately, Nappa stated, "I've done nothing but mistreat ya since we met. If I were ya, I'd be takin' advantage of the situation. I'd probably use yer vulnerability to kill ya."

"Well, lucky for you, I wouldn't do that."

"Why not?"

Bra sighed. "Because I'm not like that. Because I don't see the need to take a life. Or to do nothing while someone's life slips away. I might not like you very much, Nappa, but I do consider you an ally, even if you don't consider me one of yours. Though your ailment isn't fatal – yet – I won't stand by and watch you suffer. Even if I considered you an enemy, I don't think I could leave you like this."

"Then ye're a foolish wench," Nappa accused. "Ya haven't had too many enemies, have ya? Otherwise, ya wouldn't make such careless claims."

The teenager scowled that all-too-familiar scowl at her comrade. "You don't know that."

Ignoring another wave of déjà vu as he looked at the girl's expression, Nappa quirked an eyebrow. "Don't I? Let me ask ya this: would ya consider the same sort of leniency on those enemies of yers that blew away yer kin? If they were sick like I am now, would ya help 'em? Or would ya use the opportunity to waste 'em?"

Bra sucked in a breath. She hadn't considered that before. What _would_ she do? She would defend herself, of course. She would do all she could to subdue them. She would prefer the option of sending them on their way, like Uncle Goku would do, before she'd consider killing them. But if killing them was the only way to defeat them, could she do it?

The giant saw the hesitation in the girl's eyes. "Ye're weak," he spat. "It's no wonder ya lost yer battle against yer kinslayers. Yer sentimentalities are the source of yer weakness. It'll get ya killed one day if ye're not careful." He replaced the cool, wet cloth to his face as if to dismiss the girl.

Bra was livid. She didn't like having her morals dismissed so derogatively. She didn't like the accusations being flung at her. And she didn't like that someone like Nappa had been so easy to call her out on what he perceived were flaws. Deciding to leave the large man in his misery, she rose to her feet, keeping her hands clenched at her sides.

"You know, maybe my sentimentalities aren't a weakness. Just _maybe_, they are a source of strength," the girl growled.

Nappa's only response was a quick guffaw. Bra had had enough of his dismissive attitude. She stomped out of the wash chamber and into the bedroom. Her eyes landed on the mess of empty canisters. In that moment, she found herself a new topic of argument.

"Where the _hell_ did all these cans come from anyway?" the teen demanded.

"Nun'yer business," the general drawled from the washroom.

Bra picked up one of the containers again. Upon inspection, she reasserted her conclusion that none of these had come from the pantry downstairs. She grew concerned.

In a less confrontational tone, she asked again, "Seriously. Where did these come from?"

"As if I'd tell ya."

While Nappa was being difficult, Bra's concern grew into fear. For the first time since coming to the tavern's second floor, she was noticing the strong, oppressive, toxic waves wash over her. While the sensation had been mild for the past few days, she could now feel it in levels that were higher than they should have been in their isolated location. And she realized that the source of this toxicity was coming from these canisters.

"Nappa? Please tell me you haven't been eating the contents of these cans," the blunette pleaded.

"So what if I 'ave?" the giant barked. "Ya've been practically starvin' us since we got here! What did ya expect me to do?"

Bra tossed the can away, repelled by its poison infused materials. "You got these from one of the cities, didn't you?" she implored as she turned to face Nappa. "You went into the cities after I told you it was dangerous! And you actually _ate_ the food you found there! Nappa! You've been slowly poisoning yourself! It's no wonder you're so sick!"

The teen had thought it was so odd that the general had fallen so ill so quickly. If anyone was going to get sick soonest, she would have thought it would be herself since she was only half saiyan. She suspected that Raditz, too, would get sick before Nappa did, since the third-class saiyan was many times weaker. But this made sense. Only by subjecting himself to intense levels of radiation would the giant become this ill. And yet, it didn't make much sense either. The restorative properties of his space pod's healing unit should have at least undone most of the damage. Unless…

"Have you been sleeping in your pod at night? Or up here?" Bra continued her investigation.

"If ya must know, ya bothersome wench, I've been sleepin' up here!"

"Why?" the girl demanded.

"I can't sleep in my pod!" Nappa roared. "It's far too cramped and uncomfortable."

Bra was beside herself with his foolishness. "So you'd rather sacrifice your health for comfort? Are you stupid!?"

The mustachioed man managed to sit up away from the wall, tearing the cloth away from his face as he did so. "Do _not_ call me stupid, ya fuckin' bitch!"

The demi-saiyan took a step back from the man's hostility. She toned down her accusations considerably when she saw how offended he had become. "Fine, fine. You're not stupid. But you've been making stupid choices. Listen. We've got to get you downstairs and into your pod. It's the only way you'll get any better."

"I'm not going into my pod," Nappa growled.

Bra was surprised by his refusal. "Why not?"

"Because I don't trust ya or the repairs ya've done to my pod."

The genius sighed in frustration and pinched the bridge of her nose as her stress levels rose. She began to wonder if arguing with the large man was even worth it. Withdrawing her hand from her face, she accused with heavy sarcasm, "So… let me get this straight. You think that perhaps I've been starving you intentionally so that you'd have to find food elsewhere, food that I knew would make you sick, so sick that you'd have no choice but to use your pod to heal, a pod that I've done repairs on, repairs that you believe are actually concealed traps, traps that are meant to eliminate you for some unmotivated reason? Is that what you think?"

"Yes."

As much as Bra wanted to call Nappa 'stupid' again, she refrained from doing so. "Don't you think that all that effort is going a little out of my way to try to kill you?"

"No."

The teen sighed again. "Listen. If you don't get off your ass and downstairs into that pod right now, I'm going to go wake up Prince Vegeta and have _him_ force you up. And I don't think you really want me to do that because he'll be very unhappy if he is disturbed for something so petty."

The threat garnered Nappa's attention. He certainly didn't want to be the cause of Vegeta's wrath. At the same time, he couldn't bring himself to seek safety and shelter inside his pod, even if it meant that he'd feel better. Unfortunately, the girl was giving him no choice. He had tried to argue his way out of it. He had tried to make her get so angry at him that she'd leave him alone. But she was a stubborn little wench. She refused to leave him alone until he was healed. Or dead. Whichever outcome it was that she wanted so desperately. Even if her intentions were pure, he still could not put himself inside that pod.

Begrudgingly, the mustachioed man found himself forced to admit this to her. "I can't."

Bra was confused and worried. "You can't… get up?"

"No! That's not it!" Nappa's eyes snapped to hers. "I can't use my pod!"

"Why not? What's wrong with it other than my alleged sabotage?"

The giant mumbled something so quiet that even Bra's enhanced hearing couldn't pick it up.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't hear you," the girl replied.

"I said that I don't like small spaces," Nappa shamefully admitted.

"Wait. What?" the teen asked. She couldn't believe that all this time, the bald-headed saiyan was claustrophobic. Then again, with his massive size, it wasn't much of a surprise that he didn't like tight spaces.

With a blush painting his cheeks, Nappa muttered, "Don't make me repeat myself, wench."

Bra was confused. "But you use the space pod all the time. Why can't you use it now?"

The general growled. "Because all those other times, I've got the sleeping gas to knock me out! It's not so bad when ye're not aware of being in such a tiny space."

Bra almost laughed at his predicament, but she felt so bad for him that she kept her laughter bottled up. "Silly… Don't you know you don't have to be travelling between planets in order to activate the sleeping agent? _I_ used it the first night we were here."

Nappa gave the girl an astonished look like he hadn't considered such an idea. "I suppose I could do that," he grumbled.

Bra gave the giant a warm smile. "Come here. I'll help you to your pod," she offered him a hand to help him rise.

Nappa swatted the offered appendage away. "I'm sick. Not a cripple," he snarled as he slowly rose to his feet.

The mustachioed man stumbled past Bra and exited the bedroom. She could hear his shuffled footsteps as he made his way down the hall, towards the collapsed stairway. The girl tracked him using her ki sense as he exited the tavern. She went to the room's only window and looked down upon the street below, watching as Nappa stumbled towards his pod, shuffling past Vegeta along the way. Only when the giant entered his ship and activated both the healing unit and sleeping agent was Bra satisfied.

The girl left the bedroom and the various messes behind her. If she figured that they'd be spending much longer on this planet, she'd be concerned about all the radioactive containers discarded in the room, spreading their contaminants throughout their temporary base. Likewise, with as sick as Nappa was, if she believed that their stay would be prolonged, she'd consider asking Vegeta to send Nappa to that PTO base ahead of them. But she wasn't worried. By her calculations, she'd have Vegeta's pod reprogrammed by the afternoon and by that evening, they'd be on their way to their next destination.

* * *

Later on that day, as the afternoon rolled into the early evening, Bra busied herself with dozens of platters and bowls of food – food that she had spent most of the afternoon preparing. After finishing her work on Vegeta's pod, she had come into the tavern's dining room and cleared away all the leftover computer components and scrap. Once that mess was out of the way, she pushed all twelve tables together, forming one giant table. It was then that she had gone to work cooking up all the remaining food from the pantry.

The teen was bringing the last of the large banquet upstairs. She was super excited. There were so many reasons to celebrate! All the pods were repaired – thanks to her genius. They would be leaving this planet behind them very shortly – these next few hours would be their last here. And, to top it off, it was Christmas Eve. Even though this planet lacked any trees for her to decorate, even though this town lacked any electricity to hang lighting, and even though there wasn't a shred of _anything_ that could resemble a Christmas decoration, she simply couldn't let the holiday pass her by without observing it in some form or another. So the best she could do was to cook up an enormous meal, reminiscent of the ones she was accustomed to at home, and enjoy it (as best as she could) with her friends and family (or in this case, her squad-mates).

Bra was so happy that she figured nothing could sour her mood. Not the abysmal taste the food was sure to have. Not the fact that her comrades wouldn't have a clue what Christmas was or why it was so important to her. Not the growing fatigue and the touch of a headache she had started developing late in the morning. Not the lingering awkwardness between herself and Raditz. And definitely not the festering homesickness that threatened to grow with the arrival of the holiday.

With the final dish in place, the blunette exited the tavern to round up the men. For the sake of showmanship, she put on her scouter for the first time in three days and activated it. Not that she needed to do so in order to find her companions, she just wanted to appear that she had relied on it when she gathered up the men. She decided the first one she'd seek was Raditz. Flexing her ki sense while also tinkering with the scouter, she found that he had secluded himself in the ruins of the little convenience store.

Bra entered the dilapidated building, avoiding obstacles such as fallen display racks and ceiling tiles that had been knocked loose. She found Raditz sitting in a dark corner in the back of the tiny store, fiddling with his holoscreen. Although she knew he was keenly aware of her arrival – she took no measure of stealth as she approached him – he blatantly ignored her presence.

"Uh… hey, Raditz?" the demi-saiyan called him, almost shyly.

"What do you want?" the long-haired man grumbled. "Come to ask me for advice in your pursuit of the prince?"

Bra scowled at him. _I won't let him ruin my mood. I won't let him ruin my mood,_ she chanted the mantra in her head.

The girl pretended that her former suitor hadn't made the jab. "I want you to come have dinner with us tonight."

"I will come when I'm good and ready, just like every other night."

The teenager exhaled deeply, releasing her frustration before it intensified. "Well, tonight is different," she replied in a soft voice.

"How so?" Raditz asked in a tone that indicated he didn't really care.

"Well… it's a surprise."

The third-class saiyan sneered, "Oh? Are you and Vegeta going to announce your joining so soon?"

Bra was starting to get really annoyed. "No! Look. Since you're being an ass, I'll just tell you. I made a huge feast for us. The food probably won't be that good, but it's a celebration, nonetheless."

Raditz finally looked up from his holoscreen. "What kind of celebration?"

The blue-haired girl smiled. "The celebration of us finally leaving this planet."

Momentarily forgetting his bitterness, the long-haired man asked, "You successfully repaired all of the pods?"

Bra's smile grew wider. "Of course I did! Was there any doubt?"

Raditz closed his holoscreen, effectively darkening the room, and he slowly rose from his seat. "When do we leave?"

The halfling tilted her head and tapped her chin. "I figured we could leave as soon as we were done eating. I mean, we could have left a few hours ago, but I thought that it'd be nice not to have to travel through space on an empty stomach. Not that we'd notice while in hibernation. But it's a nice thought to have a full tummy before setting off."

The third-class nodded in agreement. "Have you told the others yet?"

Bra shook her head. "Nah. I wanted to tell you first."

There was a small twinkle in Raditz's eyes, a twinkle of surprise with a mix of hope. For just a moment, he thought that perhaps the girl had sought him out first because he was once again at the forefront of her mind. He clung to the desperate idea that maybe, just _maybe_, she had come to her senses. That maybe, she was giving him preferential treatment because she wanted to make amends with him. And that maybe, she was reconsidering her refusal to be his mate.

When Bra saw this small spark of hope in her former suitor's eyes, she was quick to squash it. "I came to tell you first because I figured that if I had told the others before you, they'd have likely devoured most of everything before I could convince you to join us."

And there it was. A look of hurt quickly replaced the glimmer of hope in his eyes. "I see," Raditz said flatly. "That was wise on your part, I suppose. I can't put it past you to have always devised a plan of some sort."

The barb wasn't lost on the teen, but she tried her best to let it slide. In a voice that was a little less cheerful, she said, "Come on. Let's go find the others before all the food gets cold. Do you think you can get—"

Bra cut herself off as she realized she was about to ask him to look for Vegeta. Since she had made the two men romantic rivals – at least from Raditz's point of view – she realized that sending one after the other was perhaps a poor idea. So she changed her request.

"Do you think you can wake Nappa up? He should be recovered enough by now to be able to come out of his pod so he can eat. He was so sick earlier, he had to skip breakfast."

Raditz nodded and left her side to do as she bade. Even without their bond being active, she could tell that he had grown increasingly bitter with her request. She thought that she had given him the better option when it came to locating the other two men. But then she realized how he perceived her question. By sending him to retrieve Nappa, she was, by default, volunteering herself to seek out Vegeta. And it made her look like she was seeking out the prince because of her alleged preference for him. She realized then that neither option had been better than the other. _Damned if I do. Damned if I don't,_ she lamented.

* * *

"Ta-da! _**Merry Christmas**_!"

"_**Maer-ree**_...?"

"_**Kuh-riss-muhs**_…?

Raditz and Nappa repeated in bewilderment as Bra led the procession of saiyans into the tavern's dining room, making a point to proudly show off the enormous banquet of food waiting for them.

Bra giggled. "Yeah. It's a holy day on my home world. Well, actually, by my planet's calendar, _tomorrow_ is really _**Christmas**_,but I wanted to do something to celebrate it a day early. There _is_ a lot more to it than food, but I'm sure you hungry saiyan men don't want to be bothered with the details."

Vegeta listened to the girl prattle as his eyes devoured the gigantic spread of food. As his eyes roamed over plates and platters and bowls filled with the odd assortment of consumables, it wasn't the joy of having a decent sized meal that filled his mind. Instead, he felt shock and concern.

"What the hell is the meaning of this, girl?" the prince demanded, startling his three companions as they were settling down to eat. "Didn't you claim three days ago that, due to limited provisions, our meals had to be carefully rationed?"

"I did," the teen answered matter-of-factly.

"This is far more than each of the servings you've prepared for us during our stay here."

"Clearly," Bra knowingly replied with a hint of playfulness.

A protruding vein began to form at Vegeta's temple as the girl toyed with him. "Then why does it appear as though you've cooked all of our remaining supplies!?"

Nappa and Raditz watched as the bluenette tested the prince's patience. Raditz obviously already knew the answer to Vegeta's inquiry, but he kept quiet. He was mildly concerned that Bra was pushing the royal man close to the edge. That Vegeta hadn't yet physically threatened the girl indicated to the third-class that she had definitely and quickly established some rapport with the prince. So while Raditz was only slightly worried, he wasn't terribly troubled with Bra's safety while facing the prince's wrath.

Nappa, meanwhile, watched the exchange with conflicted interest. On one hand, he silently hoped that Bra would continue to goad Vegeta to the point that the prince would grow so frustrated with her that he'd kill her and, finally, they'd all be rid of her. On the other hand, there was a very, very small feeling deep inside the giant that perhaps the wench didn't deserve such a fate. He recalled how she had tended to him earlier that morning. She had provided him with water, despite her discomfort, to help him wash his sick away. She had quickly determined the cause of his accelerated symptoms and had been quick to scold him because she was concerned for him. Upon discovering his weakness, his fear of small paces, she hadn't mocked or criticized him, to his surprise. She had actually given him a solution to his predicament and ushered him off to recover. And all this, Nappa realized, she had done because she _cared_.

Vegeta continued his interrogation. "Tell me, _girl_. How have you planned for our survival when you've carelessly blown through our reserves?"

A boastful smirk slowly spread across Bra's face. "Well… I don't know about you, but in a few hours, _I_ plan to be on my way to that PTO base."

"What?" the royal saiyan gasped. He stormed towards the girl. "Are you implying that you plan on abandoning us on this rock!?"

Bra quickly dropped the playful act as she realized she was swimming towards hot water. "No, no, no!" she refuted, waving her hands in front of her defensively. "What I meant is that we'll _all_ be on our way. All the pods are fixed and we can leave as soon as we're done eating."

Vegeta stopped mid-stomp. This news was certainly unexpected. He had predicted that the girl would be another day or two before she had the repairs completed. His ire quickly diminished. For the first time, he looked upon the feast she had prepared with anticipation rather than trepidation.

"Very well," the flame-haired man said calmly. "We shall eat and then we shall depart."

Within the hour, all the food Bra had prepared was gone. Even with as bland as most of it was, every single crumb had been devoured. The saiyans had been far more ravenous than Bra had imagined. It had made her happy to watch them eat, knowing that she had made certain that they'd be well fed before their trip to the nearest PTO-controlled planet.

Once the meal had been consumed, the quartet left the tavern, leaving piles of dirtied dishes behind. The blue-haired girl was grateful that she didn't have to clean up after this enormous meal. _Let the next person deal with it,_ she laughed inwardly at her own lame joke. Upon exiting the tavern, the four squad members headed towards their respective pods… all except for Vegeta.

"Where do you think you're going?" the prince called out.

His three subordinates stopped and turned to look at him questioningly. They discovered that Vegeta was looking expectedly at Bra. Nappa, relieved that it wasn't he who had been addressed, continued on towards his pod. Moments later, his pod fired up and launched into the yellowed skies above. Raditz hung back for just a moment after realizing that Vegeta's question had been directed at Bra. Uncertain where the prince's inquiry was leading, he tried to convince himself that he was merely curious, not concerned, about Bra.

The halfling gave her father a confused look. "I'm… heading towards my pod?"

"No, you're not," Vegeta refuted.

"Uhh… why?"

"Do you believe, for a moment, that I would risk myself in my pod?"

Bra quirked an eyebrow. "Why not? The repairs are sound. Don't you trust me?"

Vegeta sauntered towards her. "It's not that I don't trust _you_. I just don't trust that the repairs will hold. If you are so confident in your skills and abilities, then _you_ ride in my pod. Since your pod sustained the least amount of damage, and is the least likely to fail during the flight to Frieza Planet 102, then _I_ will be riding in it." Seeing the displeased look on Bra's face, he offered, "How about I strike a bargain with you? If you should survive the trip, then I will place my complete trust in you. Does that sound like a fair tradeoff to you?"

The teenager was annoyed and upset that her own father had no faith in her. Even though, in this era, he barely knew her, she would have thought that he'd have developed some confidence in her by now. Their interactions over the past few days should have established her as being reliable. But his challenge stoked a fire within her. She would prove to him that she was dependable… extraordinarily so.

Smirking arrogantly, Bra answered her father's challenge. "Not only will I see you on PTO 102, but I'll beat you there."

Vegeta answered with his own cocky smile. "We shall see about that, girl."

Without another spoken word, the prince and his future daughter swapped vessels and were soon airborne. Raditz remained behind a few moments longer, watching in bewilderment as the two pods disappeared into the thick atmosphere above. The exchange he had just witnessed had been quite odd. _It is as if Prince Vegeta and Bulla were cut from the same cloth,_ he speculated. Growling, he noted, _Their bond has quickly become very well established. Bulla is behaving too much like Prince Vegeta already._ With this distasteful thought in mind, Raditz climbed into his pod, ignoring Bra's scent that lingered inside, and activated the launch sequence.

* * *

**Author's Note(s):**  
So, I was reading about eidetic memory, and I was disappointed to discover that such an ability has only proven to exist rarely in young children and not at all in adults. I like to be concise and accurate when I write. So when I learned this about eidetic memory, I realized that giving this ability to Bra was not following the characteristics of this ability and essentially debunked my story. But it was important that Bra have this ability. And since I was taking some creative liberties with it already (that Bra could use her ability to remember minute details while delving into someone else's memories), I figured I'd just continue taking liberties by maintaining the fact that Bra has an eidetic memory at all.


	19. Lesson Nineteen

_Lessons From My Father_

_Lesson Nineteen  
Don't Give Up_

_ One of the things Daddy hated most was a quitter. Being someone who had had to overcome so many obstacles and hardships in his lifetime, one of the things he had had to learn was to never give up. It was a value that he instilled in me as a way to assure himself that one day, I'd be able to overcome my own challenges. One such method he used to teach me this valuable lesson had been as interesting as it was crafty… _

_ I don't specifically recall the first time Momma locked Daddy out of the Gravity Simulation Room. (These incidents happened with such frequency that I lost track of every time such an incident occurred.) I _do_, however, remember the first time Daddy convinced me to help him crack the code so that he could have access to the GSR. I was eleven years old at the time, and with my already established dislike for sparring, I only ventured to the GSR when I had been prompted by Daddy to join him in a training session. On this occasion, I was delighted to see that Daddy (and I) had been barred from access._

_ "Momma locked us out?" I asked the obvious question with a voice that sounded a little too cheerful._

_ "Hnn…" was Daddy's monosyllabic response._

_ "Well, that's too bad. I guess we'll have to reschedule, huh?"_

_ Daddy nodded without taking his eyes off of the computerized locking mechanism next to the door. Inside, I jumped for joy. Even though I knew that I'd likely be making up for lost time during our next session, I was very glad to have the afternoon off. I spun on my heals and headed back down the hallway._

_ "Girl, wait."_

_ I froze. Inwardly, I cursed. I had been so close to freedom! I turned back around, careful to clear the disappointed look from my face._

_ "Yes, Daddy?"_

_ "What do you know about the GSR?"_

_ I tilted my head and furrowed my brows. "What do you mean?"_

_ "You've been learning about the GSR, yes? How much do you know?"_

_ "Well… Momma and Trunks have been teaching me how to do basic repairs… both on the structure and in the programming…"_

_ "What about the lock-out mechanism?"_

_ "Mmm… I don't really know much about that yet…"_

_ Daddy rubbed his chin in thought. "Do you suppose that if you studied it, you could figure it out?"_

_ "Maybe… But, Daddy?"_

_ "Hmm?"_

_ "Didn't Momma lock you out for a reason? Wouldn't she get mad if you broke in?"_

_ Daddy suddenly changed the topic of the conversation. "What was it that you wanted me to buy you when we were out the other day?" he asked innocently enough._

_ My eyes lit up simply recalling the newest fashion trend of my desire. "The black suede boots with the three layer fringe!"_

_ "Do you still want them?"_

_ "Of course I do! But you said that I already spent my allowance for the month…"_

_ "Crack the code on the locking mechanism and I'll buy them for you."_

_ "What?"_

_ Daddy turned his head and looked at me for the first time during our conversation. "You heard me, girl. Help me break into the GSR and the boots are yours."_

_ I blinked. This was almost too good to be true. But on the other hand, I felt an immense amount of guilt just at the thought of going behind Momma's back._

_ "But what about Momma? Won't she be mad if she finds out you bribed me?"_

_ "I'll worry about your mother. You just worry about the code."_

_ "Okay…" I reluctantly agreed._

_ I spent all of my free time during the next three days tinkering with the locking mechanism. I knew that discovering the correct code would be the easy part of my endeavor. Writing the simple programs to help me unravel the computer script would be the more difficult task. In the process of creating the first of what I would eventually realize were hacking programs, I nearly gave up on a few occasions. But Daddy always pushed me through._

_ "Are you ready to give up so soon?" he asked me. "I guess you don't want those boots so badly, now do you?"_

_ I was nearly frustrated to tears. Fortunately, Daddy took some pity on me and surprisingly helped me through the difficulty I was facing. I had found it very odd that he could guide me in the right direction by spotting where I had erred. Finally, on the third day of working on the code, I hooked my laptop up to the GSR's locking mechanism. When I ran the program I had written, Daddy gave me full credit when the light on the lock switched from red to green._

_ As promised, Daddy bought those boots for me. But this incident was not an isolated one. A month later, Daddy was again locked out of the GSR. In exchange for another bribe, I helped him to, yet again, break in. Of course, the security was a little more complex than before, but I found it almost easier to crack. For several months, this went on. Daddy would get locked out. He'd come to me to help him. I'd work diligently on breaking the security code. Always, he'd push me through the process, refusing to allow me to give up. Eventually, I'd solve the puzzle. And I got my reward._

_ I found it very odd that Momma never said a word about Daddy's miraculous break-ins. Likewise, I found it strange when the encryption suddenly became exponentially harder. As I had done for some of my first attempts to unlock the GSR, I went to Daddy for help. Only this time, he was unable to do so. My mother's coding had become too difficult to receive his help. _

_ "I can't give you anymore help with this, girl. It's time you learned to figure it out on your own," Daddy said to me._

_ "But it's too hard! I've tried everything!" I complained. "I can't do it on my own!"_

_ "If you give up every time something becomes too difficult for you, then you'll never accomplish anything," Daddy admonished._

_ "I know…"_

_ " So what are you going to do? Quit?"_

_ I hated when Daddy pushed me like this. "No," I mumbled._

_ "Then figure it out."_

_ Dejected, I walked away from Daddy, dragging my feet as I went. I didn't know what I was going to do. I really _had_ tried everything I could think of to try to unlock this new code. If I couldn't think of something else, another strategy, I knew I would have no other choice but to give up. But that would mean disappointing Daddy. Also, the payoff was too large to pass up – a brand new laptop. There was only one other option I could think of. I went to Trunks for help. When I asked him for his assistance, his response was not what I had expected._

_ "Why is Dad making you break into the GSR for him? He's been writing the codes for the locking mechanism for several months now. He should be able to get in there on his own."_

_ I was stunned. _Daddy_ had been programming the lock? Daddy _knew_ how to write the codes? _How_ did he know? So it _hadn't _been Momma who was reprogramming the GSR during this entire time that I've been breaking into it? _That's_ why she wasn't getting mad every time Daddy broke in. It now made sense why the codes themselves seemed easy to crack. And it was no wonder Daddy that knew when and how to help me. Until this newest code, that is. How come he couldn't help me break this one? And then I knew why… He was faking his inability… because he was trying to push me harder. _

_ But why was Daddy doing this? For what purpose did he have me learning how to break into security devices and computer software? I needed to know the truth._

_ As soon as I found Daddy, I demanded, "Why have you been lying to me?"_

_ Daddy put his newspaper down and set it on the couch beside him. "About what?"_

_ "About the GSR. You've been programming the codes! Why are you making me break in when you could've gotten in all by yourself?"_

_ "Have you learned anything from this?"_

_ "Huh?"_

_ "Have you learned anything from this?" he repeated._

_ "Yeah! How to be a thief and a liar and a… a… a taker of bribes!" I shouted angrily._

_ "I taught you none of those things," Daddy rebutted testily._

_ "Yes, you have!"_

_ "What _exactly_ have you stolen that makes you a thief? What falsehoods have you told that makes you a liar? And those 'bribes?' I consider them rewards for your hard work."_

_ Daddy was right. I hadn't stolen anything. Since Momma hadn't actually locked Daddy out of the GSR, there had been nothing to conceal from her. And because of that, the accusation of bribery held no merit. _

_ "What have you learned?" Daddy pressed._

_ I thought for a moment. "I dunno… How to be a hacker? But why would you want me to learn something like that?"_

_ "Because you needed a challenge, girl."_

_ "What?"_

_ "Did you think that our training sessions would be all about sparring?"_

_ "Well… yeah."_

_ "You need to train your mind as well as your body," Daddy explained. "That public school of yours is hindering your progress. Your mother and brother are too busy to give you a real challenge. You needed something else… something that would _really _put your mind to use. Something that would be so challenging that it would not only test your mind but also your determination. But I see now that when you're faced with something too difficult to handle, your resolve quickly crumbles." Daddy retrieved his newspaper and resumed reading as if his explanation was all I needed to hear._

_ I was flabbergasted. I ignored his accusation and fired one back of my own. "So you couldn't have provided me with a challenge that wasn't _illegal_!?"_

_ Daddy dropped his paper into his lap. "I don't recall seeing the police knock on our door to arrest you for any illegal activities. So I don't understand how you can assume that I coerced you into performing a violation of the law."_

_ I shook my head in disbelief. "Just because _you_ didn't have me arrested me doesn't mean that someone else won't if I used what I learned on _them_! What makes you so certain that I won't use this to victimize people!?"_

_ "So don't use it to victimize anyone. Just be glad that you learned a knew skill. You never know… Maybe one day you'll find a good reason to use what you've learned over the past several months."_

_ "Yeah! Sure! The day when Capsule Corp. goes belly-up and I find that my only job prospect is of a cyber criminal! Thanks, _Daddy_, for making sure I have a fallback plan!"_

_ I stormed away from Daddy on that day feeling so angry that he would betray me and teach me something so… so… dishonest. I was determined to never again decipher another code for Daddy. But the challenge of that latest encryption refused to stop gnawing at me. I hated that Daddy was right… that I was in desperate need to challenge my mind. And I certainly didn't want him to think that I was a quitter. Out of spite, I attempted the code once again. _

_ A few days later, after I had the solution to the encryption figured out, I waited until the GSR was in use. This was sure enough proof that Daddy was never truly locked out of his precious chamber. Noting that only Daddy's ki signature could be felt inside and observing that he had the setting cranked to five hundred times Earth's normal gravity, I ran the program to unlock the GSR. Of course, Daddy hadn't changed the code and the program was successful. _

_ As soon as the light on the lock switched from red to green, I could hear the simulator's emergency shut-off procedure engage. The GSR powered down, instantly going from five hundred g-forces to one. The sound of a body crashing into the ceiling followed by a string off curses filtered through the door and into my ears. An instant later, my very enraged Daddy slammed the door open to glare at me for interrupting him so dangerously._

_ "What the fuck was that for?" he seethed._

_ "Your code is cracked," I said stated matter-of-factly. "The next one you write better be harder 'cuz I won't be giving up so easily next time."_

_ I stayed only long enough to see the rage on his face melt into wonder and then satisfaction. Without a word, I turned on my heal and strode down the hallway in the smuggest way I could muster… back straight, chin up, head held high. I'm not sure which of us won that day. And I never figured out how Daddy learned how to program the security codes for the GSR. But I _did_ learn this: there is nothing that can't be achieved so long as one is unwilling to surrender._

_~from the Memoirs of Bra Briefs_

* * *

Date: Age 760, Quarter 1, Day 17 (Approx. 15 January, 760)  
Location: Frieza Planet 102

"hoo 're 'ou?"

The surprised voice pulled Bra slowly from her slumber. The effects of the hibernation made the unidentified man's words sound muffled and slurred. Bra felt heavily lethargic, but the fresh air coming in through the open door of her pod served to quickly clear the grogginess from her mind. As her surroundings came into focus, she immediately regarded the strange looking man standing in the doorway to her pod. He had red skin, pitch black hair, and three yellow eyes. He wore a set of simple black and white armor, sans shoulder and hip padding, over black spandex, indicating that he was a soldier.

"You're not Vegeta…" the man stated bluntly. This time, his words came much more clearly to the blunette. "Why are you in his pod?"

The question was a peculiar one, Bra initially thought. For what reason would this alien expect to have found Vegeta in her pod? But then she remembered that she and her father had swapped pods prior to their departure from that radiated planet.

Feeling a little snarky, the teen answered, "Of course I'm Prince Vegeta! Didn't you know that we saiyans can transform ourselves into gorgeous, young babes?"

The alien man was visibly taken aback. "Th-they can?" he asked incredulously. Obviously, he knew very little about saiyan physiology.

"Tch! No," Bra corrected him and then she quirked an eyebrow. "Seriously!? You really almost believed that?"

The alien's disposition immediately changed from surprise to humiliation. "No…" he mumbled defensively. "I knew you were lying…" In an attempt to shift the conversation away from his embarrassment and gullibility, he asked, "So where _is_ Vegeta, anyway?"

No sooner had the question fallen from his lips, another space pod – Bra's original pod to be precise – arrived on a nearby landing pad. "That ought to be him right there," the halfling replied.

The red-skinned man stepped aside and turned around to see for himself. His retreat from the pod allowed Bra the opportunity to climb out of the vessel. She stretched her limbs, working out the kinks. Even though she had been in hibernation for the past twenty-five galactic days, her muscles still managed to feel rather cramped up from the inactivity. From the open roof above, she felt a strong chill in the air which helped her to wake up the rest of the way. As a technician approached Vegeta's – or rather, _Bra's_ – pod, the demi-saiyan's attention was drawn by a small ruckus somewhere from behind her. Bra rounded the ship she had arrived in until the source of the commotion came into sight.

"The pods! What have you brutes done to your pods!" a short, four-armed alien lamented as he inspected Nappa's ship. Bra had the feeling that the small alien creature was definitely a technician.

Nearby, Nappa appeared as if he couldn't have cared less about the condition of his pod. "We didn't do nothin' to our pods. Ya know… if ya were so concerned about them, then maybe ya nerdlings oughtta design them better! Damn space rocks chewed right through these things like a ki blast through wet paper!"

The technician didn't seem to have heard the giant saiyan's complaint – or insult – as he continued to mourn the ship's condition. "Oh! And these 'repairs!' They're so sloppy and primitive! What in the worlds did you _do_? I don't know what you expect me to do with this! There's no way I can undo this amount of damage! This pod is completely trashed! It's not even fit for scrap metal!"

Bra retreated from the scene feeling a little bit miffed at the technician. She simultaneously furrowed her eyebrows, clenched her teeth, and fisted her right hand as she mentally cursed the short alien. _That jerk! '…sloppy and primitive…' My ass! I did a damn good job fixing up all four of those pods! I'd like to see _him_ do a better job with the little bit of time and limited resources that I had to work with! Heh! If _I_ had all the supplies and facilities that he has at his disposal, why, I bet I could craft a ship or two that would make the PTO pods look like a bunch of jalopies!_

The teenager's attention was quickly pulled away from her ire when she overheard her father having a rather heated conversation with a large and imposing woman. This female, with pink skin and long, silver hair, was so tall that she rivaled Nappa in height. Her armor appeared to have been custom tailored since it revealed and accentuated her long legs and ample bust. She stood arrogantly above the saiyan prince with her arms crossed and a condescending look on her face. It was very apparent, even to Bra, that this woman was the commanding officer on this base.

"I don't care about your 'limited resources,'" Vegeta snarled in irritation. "I demand that you provide me and my squad with replacement pods, immediately! We are on a very strict schedule, one that has been delayed enough already! I will not tolerate further delays, especially not due to the incompetent commander of an obsolete outpost!"

"And _I_ have told _you_, Vegeta, that your schedule is no concern of mine! Your delays are on _your_ head. Not mine! I bear no responsibility for ensuring that your missions are completed on schedule! And I most certainly _will not_ have some parasite infested _monkey_ come onto _my_ outpost and make demands of me while throwing around insults!"

Bra could feel her father's ki begin to flare along with his wrath. In a quiet tone that bore his ire, Vegeta threatened, "If you refuse my request, I will not hesitate to beat you until that pretty pink skin of yours turns a violent shade of purple. And after I am done beating the shit out of you, I will personally contact Frieza to report your insubordination!"

The woman merely sniffed at the threat, completely unafraid of the short saiyan man. Sensing the woman's ki, Bra found that her confidence was rightfully backed up by a large pool of energy, a pool of energy that was much larger than Vegeta's. Without his scouter, the prince was likely not aware of the huge gap in strength. But this not-knowing didn't deter him from making his threats and demands. A small smirk tugged at the corner of the girl's mouth as a thought entered her mind. _Even if Daddy knew that that lady's energy level was much higher than his, he'd probably still be shouting demands at her._

The commander calmly replied, "Your threats fall on deaf ears, monkey. You are more than welcome to contact Lord Frieza. I don't fear you doing so and, therefore, I will not stop you. As a matter of fact, you would be doing me a favor. Before I can relinquish even a single pod to you, I must obtain permission from Lord Frieza first. So as you can see, should you carry out your threat to tattle to Lord Frieza, the only thing you'd accomplish would be sparing me the trouble of sending a communication myself."

Angry, frustrated, and unwilling to do anything that would benefit the insufferable commander, Vegeta begrudgingly backed down. "Very well," he growled. "Then my squad and I shall be requiring accommodations while you waste everyone's time by unnecessarily forwarding my request to Frieza, who will no doubt approve said request."

The commander and the prince continued bantering in tones that were a little bit more civil as they discussed where the saiyans would be housed during their stay on the outpost. Bra's attention drifted away from their conversation and took note for the first time that Raditz had yet to arrive. She was immediately alarmed. _Why isn't Raditz here yet?_ she fretted. _Did something happen to him during his flight? Did his pod malfunction! Oh, please, Dende… don't tell me that he's lost somewhere out in space! If something happened to him… it'd be all _my_ fault!_

The blue-haired girl gazed upwards through the open roof, staring expectantly at the night sky, waiting for any visible signs of an incoming space pod. She stretched her ki sense skyward, searching for Raditz's ki signature. She even went so far as to push her essence through the bond she shared with the third-class man, hoping that she could make contact with him despite knowing that he'd be unlikely to respond while in the depths of hibernation. The link was still there, and that reassured her that he was unharmed, but that didn't mean he wasn't out of harm's way.

Bra continued to stare…  
…and search…  
…and wait…  
…and watch…  
…and pray.

And then there it was! Almost at the same time that the teen spotted the small fiery dot emerge in the navy blue sky, she felt the pinprick of his ki signature enter her sensory range. Relief flooded her and a small grin tugged at her lips. Yet, she still felt anxiety and worry cover her like a blanket. She wouldn't be completely comforted until he had landed safely and soundly.

Moments later, Raditz's pod collided with one of the many empty landing pads. The impact was fast and powerful, but completely absorbed. A technician, another with four arms that looked so strikingly similar to the one arguing with Nappa that Bra would have thought it was the same person, quickly made his way over to the new arrival and began entering the manual override sequence to gain access to the ship. Even though Bra didn't want to seem too overeager, she felt her legs carrying her over to her former-suitor's pod, compelled to see for herself that he was okay.

Bra stopped a few feet behind the technician, giving him some space as he removed Raditz's face mask and other apparatuses from the slumbering saiyan. Raditz soon began to wake from his hibernation. Bra watched him as he returned to the conscious world, checking his progress through their bond. The third-class saiyan felt her presence brush against his mental walls. In his half-awake state, he had yet to remember their falling out, and he instantly opened himself up to her, caressing his mental aura around hers. When he opened his eyes, they immediately locked onto hers. For a brief moment, she saw the contentedness in his dark brown orbs.

And then it all shattered.

Raditz's memory snapped back almost instantly after he made eye contact with the teenager. As soon as it did, his mental projection recoiled from hers like a wounded animal. His mental wall snapped back into place, shutting her out. The peaceful look in his eyes disappeared as a cold mask slipped into place on his face. Without saying a word to her, he looked away from her and gave his attention to the small, four-armed technician standing in front of him.

Bra felt completely and fully dejected. She was not surprised that Raditz had not yet forgiven her. She knew that he was going to need some time before he would even consider such. And she accepted that. His hardened behavior towards her still hurt, but she knew that she could handle it. She was simply happy and relieved that he had survived the precarious trip to this outpost. If her repairs to his pod had somehow failed, she didn't know how she would have handled the loss and her immense guilt.

Sensing someone approaching her from behind, the blunette turned away from Raditz's pod. The red-skinned triclops that had earlier awakened her from her pod was heading towards her. Bra couldn't help but notice that the alien man seemed… hesitant. He appeared to be somewhat subdued. She found that to be rather odd, given the fact that he had a lean, slightly muscular physique and a power level that was somewhat decent – comparable to Vegeta's, in fact. As he came towards her, he kept his eyes mostly averted, glancing at her every so often. His posture indicated that he preferred to stay withdrawn into himself, but his current actions said that he was being forced out of his shell to interact with her.

"Commander Zoda has asked me to escort you and the saiyans to an available barracks where the four of you can settle yourselves in while you wait for her to contact Lord Frieza," the three-eyed alien said.

With a glance over her shoulder to see that Raditz had risen from his pod, Bra gave the red-skinned man a nod. "Okay. Just let me grab my stuff first."

* * *

The quartet and their escort exited the space dock, and were led all the way to the other side of the large military base. Oddly enough, when they exited the dock, Bra noticed that the air wasn't as cool as she expected it would be. As they crossed the base, she also observed that despite its size and all of the many buildings, it was quite empty of people. Although she noted by the starry night sky that they had likely arrived during the middle of the night, she surmised that it wasn't because of the time of day that explained the lack of activity on the base. Flexing her ki sense, she found that there simply weren't that many energy signals. She deduced that either everyone was away, or the staffing had been severely downsized over the years. When they finally arrived at a cloister of several buildings that served as the base's barracks, she discovered that the outpost was so empty of soldiers, in fact, that she and her three companions would be temporarily housed in a dormitory all to themselves.

The garrison itself was very similar to those Bra had seen in war movies back home on Earth. Simply furnished and having no decorations to make the long and narrow room feel more personal, the barracks was designed only for function. There were three rows of bunk beds, one row along each side wall and a third down the middle of the room. Each bunk stacked three beds high and a trio of lockers sat in between each bunk. Beyond the rows of bunks, at the opposite end of the room, was a series of showers and toilets. Only a short, cement wall served as a barrier between the facilities and the beds, offering absolutely no privacy. Bra grimaced at the thought of having to shower and shit in front of forty or fifty other men.

"This is the best ya can do?" Nappa snarled after giving the quarters a look-over of his own. "This place looks like it hasn't been maintained in a good year," he observed while testing the durability of the bunk nearest to him.

"My apologies if these accommodations are not to your expectations," the red-skinned triclops muttered as he cast his yellow eyes to the side in embarrassment. "We don't receive much funding these days and I'm afraid that renovations are a luxury we cannot afford."

Vegeta withdrew his duffel from his shoulder and tossed it onto one of the empty bunks. "This shall be sufficient," he replied unemotionally. "What difference does it make anyway? We won't we here for very long."

The three-eyed man nodded. "Very well. Commander Zoda has given her permission to allow you access to the mess hall, training rooms, and the medical facilities during your stay. Kafii and Tii have been ordered to salvage your pods, if they can, in the off chance that Lord Frieza denies your request for new pods."

"Kafii and Tii?" Bra interrupted.

The triclops glanced at her and then looked away. "Yes. The twins. You saw them back at the space docks… The two short technicians that began assessing the damage to your pods."

The halfling's eyes lit up as recognition dawned on her. _Ah, yes. Those guys with the four arms. One of whom I was going to pound if he made _one_ more comment about the repairs I made…_

The red-skinned alien resumed his hospitalities. "If there is anything that you should need that hasn't already been made available to you, don't hesitate to ask for me and I will see what I can do to accommodate you. Just ask for Juus. Any questions?"

"Yeah, I got one," Nappa grunted. "What times do ya serve meals here? I'm starvin'!" As if to emphasize his point, a rumble resonated from the giant's stomach.

Aware of a saiyan's voracious apetite, Juus nervously replied, "Breakfast ended a while ago. Lunch won't be open for about half a decimark."

"Lunch?" Bra interrupted. "How can it be close to lunch? I thought we landed here in the middle of the night. It's dark outside…"

The three-eyed host gladly answered, latching onto any topic that pulled attention away from the fact that the mess hall was closed. "You're right… The sky _is_ dark right now. As a matter of fact, it will remain dark for another galactic quarter or so. That's because this planet's axis is tilted on its side—"

"Oh, I see," Bra interrupted, "For half of this planet's rotation around its star, each hemisphere faces away from the sun and is shrouded in darkness. We're on the dark side right now, right?"

"Precisely," Juus confirmed, not seeming to care that the blunette had rudely interrupted him.

The girl furrowed her eyebrows. "There's one thing I don't quite understand," she stated. "If this side of the planet if facing away from its star, then why wasn't it very cold outside? Shouldn't the temperature be, like, several hundred degrees below zero if you haven't had a day of sunlight in so long?"

The red-skinned man explained, "Under normal circumstances… yes. But this outpost is protected beneath a dome made of a glass-like substance called thermoset crystalline. The environment within the dome is so meticulously regulated that there is only one way in or out: via the space port, half of which is located inside the dome and half of which is located outside."

"I see," Bra muttered in fascination, understanding now why the air temperature had changed considerably when they exited the space port.

Vegeta abruptly changed the subject and inquired, "The medical facilities you spoke of… are they equipped with regeneration tanks?"

"Of course they are," Juus answered. "Will you be needing them?"

The saiyan prince nodded. "My squad and I were exposed to radiation for several days while we were marooned on an abandoned planet. While I'm certain that the healing devices in our pods have cleansed us of most of the toxins, it would behoove us to make use of the regeneration tanks while we are here to ensure that we have properly recovered from our exposure."

Juus replied, "Certainly. Would you like to use them now?"

"That's the idea," Vegeta retorted a little impatiently.

The triclops flinched slightly at the flame-haired man's hostile tone. "Follow me," he meekly instructed as he turned to leave the dormitory.

Vegeta fell in behind Juus, giving no verbal instruction to his squad to follow. It was simply assumed that the order was given when he had explained to Juus that they would be making use of the regeneration tanks. Nappa and Raditz tossed their duffels onto bunks and followed their prince. Bra was a little hesitant. She was very nervous about leaving her backpack unattended in the barracks and leaving it vulnerable to being stolen by any of the few dozen strangers stationed on base. But she also didn't want to be left behind. So she quickly tucked her bag underneath one of the beds and quickly jogged to catch up to the group.

Along the way, another thought plagued Bra's mind, leading to her further hesitation and anxiety. She wasn't certain if she should use a regeneration tank at all. Since healing units like these hadn't been developed on Earth, she was a stranger to their design and operation. The most important question on her mind was, _How do the tanks heal someone's injuries?_ There was only one person she could trust to ask, and that person wasn't on very friendly terms with her at the moment. But she had no other choice but to try.

_"Raditz?"_ the teen timidly sought her former-suitor's attention through their bond.

The long-haired saiyan glanced in her direction, indicating that he had heard her, but refused to answer.

_"C'mon, Raditz! Don't be like this right now,"_ Bra practically whined. _"I need to ask you something. It's very important."_

_ "What is it?"_ Raditz snapped.

The blunette winced at the irritation she felt from him, but she was glad that he was at least answering her. _"What do you know about the regeneration tanks?"_ she asked.

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Do you know anything about how they work? Do you know how they heal their patients?"_

Raditz's mouth twisted as he thought about Bra's question. Several minutes went by as she waited for an answer. Closer and closer they drew to the outpost's medical center as she waited. The closer they got to the building, the less time she knew she had before she had to make a decision about whether or not to use a tank. With her anxiety rising, she prompted the third-class saiyan for a quick answer by asking a more specific question.

_"Do you know if the tanks use the patient's DNA as a blueprint for the regeneration process?"_

Raditz's eyes seemed to light up as he realized why the girl would ask such a question. _"No. They don't,"_ he assured her, the hostility having completely evaporated from his voice. _"From what I understand, the fluid in the tanks is a mixture of proteins, vitamins, synthetic… compounds, I guess… and some sort of accelerant. But it won't take a sample of your DNA to use as an example. Your half-saiyan status will not be at risk of discovery if you use one of the regeneration tanks."_

A wave of relief washed over Bra. The alleviating sensation was so potent that even Raditz could feel it through their bond. _"Thanks, Raditz,"_ she sighed before softly closing their link.

Raditz found himself feeling a little disappointed when the teenager slowly withdrew from their bond. He was still trying to come to terms with the fact that she had rejected his courtship. He was still very upset with her decision, but he found that his anger towards her was just beginning to lessen. For the first time since their falling out, feeling her presence through their link, even for a moment, brought him a little bit of comfort instead of all out pain. Of course, he knew exactly why he felt that way. She had come to him seeking reassurance and by instinctively giving her what she needed, his inner beast had been appeased.

The long-haired saiyan suppressed a sigh of frustration as he realized that his inner beast had not yet accepted the fact that he could no longer court Bra for matehood. He found that it would be incredibly difficult not to pursue her so long as his instincts demanded that he do so. Making this task all the more impossible was the girl's trust in him to protect the secret of her racial identity. Her dependence on him, among other things, would only reassert his beast's claim on her. And therein lie his frustration. After having been stripped of his rights to court her, Raditz knew that, under saiyan custom, he absolutely could not pursue her. To do so would be dishonorable and shameful. Yet, his beast still demanded that he go after her. As he watched the object of his desire fall in beside the saiyan prince, he used every fiber of his body to suppress his beast's urge to fight for the girl.

Fortunately for Raditz, the quartet of saiyans had finally arrived at the medical center. After a few short twists and turns through the facility, they were eventually led into one of many small rooms containing regeneration tanks. This one, in particular, housed six such contraptions. One of these was already occupied. A physician, covered in brown feathers and wearing a white lab coat, busily monitored the patient's vital statistics. The remaining five tanks were empty and ready for use.

"Good morning, Watta," Juus greeted as he and the four saiyans entered the room.

"It _is_ a good morning, it is, it is," the bird-like doctor chirped. He turned away from his patient to see the newcomers. "What have we here? These four don't look like they're in need of a regeneration tank, they don't, they don't… So what seems to be the problem?" he asked skeptically.

Juus quickly explained, "They've been exposed to radiation. Prince Vegeta has requested the use of some of our regeneration tanks to make sure that there won't be any long-term effects."

"Of course! Of course!" Watta quickly changed his tune. "Prince Vegeta, eh?" he rhetorically verified as he swiftly moved to an empty pod and began prepping it for use. "Of the saiyans, no doubt, no doubt. I've heard you saiyans are very fast healers. I assume you've utilized the healing units in your pods on your way to our base, have you, have you?"

"Yeah, we have, we have," Nappa jumped in to answer him mockingly, irritated by the doctor's quirky habit of frequently repeating himself twice.

Bra elbowed the giant. "Don't be rude," she quietly hissed, but she was ignored.

"Very good, very good," Watta prattled on as he hopped to another tank. "Then you won't need much time in the tanks, you won't, you won't. Assuming, of course, that all four of you are saiyan?"

"Three of us are," Vegeta answered. "The girl is not."

The physician glanced at Bra with an inquisitive look, then returned to his task. "No matter, no matter. She will heal almost as quickly. I'm sure all four of you will be done by lunch time, I'm sure, I'm sure."

"Good," Nappa growled. "Cuz I'm starvin'. And if I miss lunch time because yer wrong, then I'm gonna pound on ya until dinner time."

Watta's eyes grew wide and round with fear. "I promise you won't miss your meal, I promise, I promise."

With an approving nod, the bald-headed saiyan began stripping down out of his armor as if it were completely natural to be seen in the nude by so many others. It was Bra's turn for her eyes to widen into saucers as she realized what the eldest saiyan was doing. She quickly spun around and put her back to him. And just in time, too, as he relieved himself of his last strip of clothing, leaving him completely naked.

Bra could feel her face turning bright red, from her neck all the way up to her hairline. She covered her cheeks with her hands as if to hide her embarrassment. To her chagrin, she could hear the ruffling of more clothing and the thudding of armor being discarded on the floor as the other two saiyans stripped down.

"What the _hell_ are you all doing!?" the halfling shrieked, daring not to look behind her. "Why are you taking off all your clothes!?"

Juus answered, "The regeneration tanks work best when the patient is wearing as little clothing as possible."

"It does, it does," confirmed Watta while he prepared a third tank. "With greater access to the skin and pores, the healing fluid has greater effect."

"What's the matter, wench?" Nappa taunted. "Haven't ya seen a saiyan man in all his glory before? Or _any_ man, for that matter?" The giant guffawed obnoxiously at the girl's expense.

"Obviously, _not_! You _**pig**_!"

"Nappa, quit harassing the girl and get in the damn tank," Vegeta snapped. "No one here wants to see your dick."

The mustachioed man managed to stifle his laughter, but couldn't suppress his smirk as his bulky body hesitantly climbed into one of the cramped healing units. "Yer no fun, Vegeta," he groused as he quickly placed the oxygen mask over his face.

Seeing that Watta was still busy prepping the final tank, Juus took the liberty of closing the door on Nappa's tank and activating the unit. The tank quickly began to fill with fluid while a mild sedative put the general into a slumber.

Bra paid no mind to the giant saiyan. Her thoughts were occupied by a different dilemma. "I-I don't wanna get… naked…"

"You don't have to get naked," Raditz replied with a hint of exasperation. "You can leave your undergarments on."

Raditz felt a little sympathetic for Bra, however, as he took note of her childlike innocence. It was an innocence that he realized he hadn't truly acknowledged before, an innocence that he guiltily admitted he had almost stolen from her. Hadn't she pleaded with him that she wasn't ready for matehood? That she was too young? She had tried to tell him, numerous times, but he had refused to listen to her. He stared at her, observing how truly uncomfortable she was with the mere idea of nudity. If their plutonic nakedness was too much for her to handle, he pondered, how could she have possibly handled it when it was completely sexual in nature. And he realized that she wouldn't have been able to.

The third-class man's intensifying guilt formed into deep shame as he recalled his actions following the girl's rejection. _I have been so angry… I have been ignoring her… lashing out at her… because I could not accept what she was trying to tell me… because I could not accept how differently she has been raised from saiyan standards. She _really_ is still a cub. She does not deserve how I have been treating her. It is _my_ fault that she rejected me. I forced her into it. And I have been blaming her for her actions when I should have been blaming myself. If I had only heeded her words, our courtship would not have ended in shambles. If I had been willing to wait for her, then perhaps I would have had a chance with her when she was truly ready…_

Unaware of Raditz's inner turmoil, Bra cautiously peek over her shoulder. To her relief, she found that the other two saiyans opted to strip down only as far as their underwear. She snapped her eyes back to the front, however, since she wasn't completely comfortable seeing each of them clad in only a pair of skin-tight boxer-briefs. In actuality, it wasn't seeing her father almost nude that had her so skittish. She had seen him walk across their home, clad only in his boxers or with only a towel wrapped around his waist, on plenty of occasions. It was seeing Raditz, a male who was not her father or brother, a male who likely still held a romantic interest in her, almost naked that had her feeling so bashful.

The blunette merely listened to the sounds of Vegeta and Raditz entering their own tanks while Juus and Watta activated the healing sequences. With the thick, blue liquid surrounding them and obscuring her vision of them, she felt marginally better about turning around to face the room. She had yet to strip herself of her clothing and was feeling exceptionally uncomfortable about doing so.

Juus seemed to sense her discomfort. "I must be going for now," he said. "Other duties call. I'll send an escort shortly before the mess hall reopens to collect the four of you."

Bra nodded as the triclops dismissed himself. The demi-saiyan glanced at the feathered doctor. She felt her hesitation linger at the thought of getting nearly nude in front of a complete stranger. But she had to tell herself that the man in front of her, despite being an alien to her in every definition of the word, was still a professional. He'd likely seen hundreds of patients during his career, men and women and everything in between. She probably had nothing that he hadn't already seen before. He had probably seen things that were far beyond her imagination. And so, with false bravado, she removed her clothing down to her bra and panties.

The blue-haired girl tip-toed over to the awaiting regeneration tank. The feel of her bare feet on the cold, tiled floor sent shivers up her spine. She hated to be barefoot. The thought of the unknown dirt and microbes, imagined as they were, coming into contact with the bottoms of her feet caused her skin to crawl and made her feel contaminated. But she made it into the tank and took a seat inside. Watta helped her put her facemask into place and she couldn't help but notice the spark of kindness in his eyes. It was unusual to see such a sight in the midst of one of Frieza's outposts, where it was more common to see hostility or fear.

"Can you do me a favor?" Bra risked a request just as the doctor moved to close the door of her tank.

"What is it you need, my dear, my dear?" Watta inquired.

"Can you wake me up first? Before the others…" the teenager asked. "I just don't want to… I'm just really nervous about… I'd just rather be up and dressed before they…"

"Certainly, certainly," the feathered alien chirped. "No need to explain. I understand, I understand. You just relax now. Okay, okay?"

Bra nodded as Watta gently closed the door to her regeneration tank. Almost as soon as he activated the unit, the gases put her in a comfortable slumber.

* * *

Shortly after leaving the saiyans in the medical center, Juus made his way across the outpost, heading towards the command center. When he arrived at the inconspicuous building, he navigated his way towards Zoda's personal quarters. Upon arriving at her chamber door, he gently rapped his knuckles on the metal surface, almost wishing that the commander was elsewhere. To his chagrin, the door slid open, revealing Zoda's luxuriously furnished office, proof of how most of the outpost's meager funding was spent. The commander herself was seated in a high-backed chair behind an expansive glass desk.

"Ah, Juus. I'm surprised to see you so soon. I take it our saiyan guests have settled in?"

The red-skinned man crossed the threshold into the commander's office; the door sliding shut as soon as he cleared the portal. "Yes, Commander," Juus confirmed with a deep bow. "I've assigned them to their own barracks. Currently, they are using some of the regeneration pods to recover from some radiation exposure."

"And the girl?"

"She is in a tank as well."

Zoda tapped her chin with a long, pink finger. "Interesting," she pondered. "I wouldn't have thought that the saiyan prince would care so much about a servant as to make sure she was placed in a tank."

There was a long pause before Juus dared to ask, "Are you certain that the girl _is_ Vegeta's servant?"

The giant female answered, "Vegeta insisted that the girl was nothing more than the saiyans' slave. But I've never known a monkey to be honest either. Why do you ask, anyway? Is there something you learned from them while escorting them around the base?"

"Well…" Juus began, "If the girl _is_ indeed their slave, she can't possibly be serving their sexual needs…"

This tidbit seemed to perk Zoda's interest. "What makes you say that?"

"If you had seen her discomfort the moment the saiyans began stripping themselves of their armor as they prepared to enter the regeneration tanks, you'd likely agree with me. She was blushing so deeply that her skin was redder than my own. And when the big one – Nappa – began to tease her, she openly admitted to having never seen a member of the opposite sex in the nude."

The pink-skinned woman's eyes lit up. "So she is pure!" she cooed. "How delightfully delicious." There was another long silence before the commander finally said, "I've come to a decision. I want that girl."

"A-are you certain?"

"Juus, how long have you known me?" Zoda inquired in a condescending tone.

"A little more than twenty-seven galactic years."

"And in those twenty-seven years, have you ever seen me in doubt?"

"Not once, Sir."

"So why would you ask whether or not I am certain about having that adorably tasty-looking girl?"

The triclops averted all three of his eyes. "I-I'm sorry for questioning you, my lord."

"Look at me, Juus."

The red-skinned man silently obeyed the alien female.

"Do you still covet this body of mine?"

Juus hesitated a moment before slowly nodding his head.

"Even after all these years of denying you what you so desperately desire, do I still leave you deeply in yearning?"

Another shameful nod.

"And despite the fact that I have aged considerably during the years of our acquaintance, you would still do anything to have it?"

Juus whispered, "Everyday, since the day our paths crossed."

"Very well, Juus. I shall finally give you what you want. But _first_, you must deliver that girl to me. What is her name again?"

"The saiyans call her Bulla," the red-skinned man answered.

"Bulla," Zoda tested the name on her lips. "Such a sweet name for such a sweet-looking girl. I look forward to speaking with her in person. See to it that she is separated from her saiyan masters. I don't need any of those loathsome monkeys interfering when I… acquire her."

Juus bowed deeply in submission. "Yes, Sir. I will see that it's done."

* * *

When Bra woke from her little regen-nap, the first thing she saw was Watta's face looking down at her through the tank's glass doorway. The second thing she became aware of was the thick film of residual healing fluid clinging to every inch of her skin. She grimaced as she examined the blue sludge sticking to her arms, legs, torso, and hair.

"How are you feeling?" the doctor chirped. "Better, I hope, I hope."

The teenager took a moment to assess herself (beyond the disgusting slime coating her body) and found that she did, in fact, feel much better than she had felt in several days. Weeks, actually, if she took into consideration the time spent in the space pod. In addition to feeling completely clear and free of any radiation poisoning, she suspected that she might have gotten a little bit of an energy boost during her recovery.

Done with her assessment, Bra answered, "Much better, actually. Except for this nasty gunk all over my body."

"No worries, no worries!" Watta replied. "You can use the shower over there, over there." He pointed to an open doorway at the end of the room, beyond which several shower stalls could be seen.

The demi-saiyan stepped out from her tank and took a few steps towards the shower room when something caught her attention. The pile of clothing and armor that she and her saiyan comrades had discarded on the floor prior to being submerged in the tanks had all disappeared. And for that matter, the tanks that the three saiyan men had occupied were now empty.

"Uh… Where are my clothes?" Bra queried. "And where is everyone? And why didn't you wake me up before them?"

The physician wrung his lab coat nervously. "Your clothes, along with the saiyans' armor, have been sent to the laundry facilities. A clean set of attire has been laid out for you. The saiyans left some time ago, they left, they left. You needed more time than them to heal. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. My instructions were to let you finish the healing cycle."

The blunette felt the chill of panic rise along her spine. "When you said that they left, you don't mean that they left this planet, do you?"

"Oh, no! Oh, no!" Watta corrected. "They are still on base, in fact, in fact. I believe they went to the mess hall and mentioned going to the training facilities after that."

Relief washed over Bra. "So, how long did you keep me in the tank?"

"About a decimark and a half, about, about."

The girl's eyes widened as she instantly did the math, calculating that almost three hours had transpired. "I didn't sleep through all of the lunch period, did I?"

"I'm afraid that you did, I'm afraid, I'm afraid," Watta revealed. "But Juus informed me that he would keep a few staff members in the kitchen for you."

Bra was a little surprised that the triclops would go out of his way like that. "He did?"

"He did, he did," the feathered man confirmed.

"Well, that was nice of him. I guess I'll have to take a quick shower so that the cooks aren't kept waiting too much longer."

As Bra turned to head towards the shower room, Watta interrupted her. "Prince Vegeta left me with instructions for you, as well, as well."

"Oh?"

"When you are done here, he wants you to return to your assigned dormitory. He and the other two left out their extra sets of armor, they did, they did. He wants you to take them to the laundry and wash them all, he wants, he wants."

The teen couldn't believe what she was hearing. _Since when did I become their maid?_ she fumed.

The last thing she wanted to do right then was to clean up after three grown men. What she wanted most was a shower and then a freshly cooked meal. She was very much tempted to contact her father telepathically and tell him to wash his own damn clothes. But she thought better of it. The prince had warned her several times already not to disobey his orders… and she knew that this was most likely an order, not an option. _Fine,_ she compromised with herself. _I'll do their damn laundry. I might as well get my stuff washed, too. But I'm not sitting around in some Laundromat . I'll just drop off their clothes and then pop into the mess hall for some food while the laundry washes._

* * *

Half an hour later, Bra was loading the last of the saiyans' armor into an industrial sized machine. It was nothing like the washing machines back home on Earth. If anything, they more closely resembled a restaurant-styled dishwasher. Every article of clothing and armor was fed through the machine on a conveyor belt where it was power washed and then dried. Fortunately, all Bra had to do was press a single button to start the process and then send each item, one by one, into the machine. Unfortunately, this meant that she had to spend a little bit more time in the laundry room than she had anticipated. And it meant that she had to handle each and every piece of clothing by hand.

"Ew… this is seriously so _gross_!" the girl whined to herself in human common as she sorted through Nappa's laundry. "I don't know if I'm relieved or mortified that he doesn't wear underwear under all this armor. I swear to Dende, if I find even the _smallest_ skid-mark in his shorts… I'm gonna spew all over!"

"Is that your native tongue?"

Bra nearly leapt out of her skin at the sudden sound of a feminine voice coming from behind her. She turned around quickly to see that the outpost's commander was leisurely leaning against the doorframe. _Dammit, Bra,_ the teenager chastised herself, _You gotta start paying more attention! You can sense energy, for Dende's sake! So stop letting people sneak up behind you!"_

The pink-skinned woman pushed away from the doorway and slowly approached Bra. "My apologies," she drawled. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"It's okay," Bra answered neutrally. "Commander Zoda, right?"

"Yes. And you're called Bulla, correct?"

The demi-saiyan nodded before turning back towards the laundry. She was curious as to why the highest ranking soldier stationed on this outpost would be bothered to strike up a conversation with her. And after seeing the hostility the commander directed towards Vegeta, Bra found it a little unsettling that the woman would be so civil towards her. She assumed that Zoda would be equally unpleasant towards her for the mere fact that she was associated with the saiyans.

The giant woman made an attempt at striking up a conversation. "I assumed that you would have visited the mess hall as soon as you had awoken from the regeneration tank. The cooks are patiently waiting for your arrival so that they can be relieved of their duties."

"Yeah. I know. I'm sorry to keep them waiting," Bra replied while sorting through the remainder of Nappa's armor. "But Prince Vegeta left instructions for me to do this and… well… he gets kinda pissy when I don't do as I'm told."

Zoda picked up on the slight irritation in the girl's tone. "I see that it's not easy being the saiyan prince's personal servant."

Bra's eyes widened and she spun around to face the commander. "Servant!? I'm not his servant!"

A thoughtful hum escaped the pink-skinned woman's grinning lips. "You haven't been under Vegeta's servitude for long, have you? If you had, that rebellious spirit of yours would've been extinguished by now. I'm glad to see that it hasn't yet been quelled."

The blue-haired girl lifted an eyebrow at her taller counterpart. She was picking up all sorts of weird vibes from the commander. Bra wasn't sure what exactly the other woman's intentions were. While Zoda, so far, hadn't come across as being very threatening, Bra's instincts were going off like fireworks.

The giant female drew closer to Bra, but not so close as to invade the girl's personal space. Nonchalantly, Zoda suggested, "You know, if you are unhappy with your situation beneath Vegeta's command, I can make arrangements to have your position transferred."

"And under whose command would you have me transfer to?" the teenager asked with heavy skepticism.

"Under mine, of course," the commander answered.

"No," Bra quickly refused. "I'm sorry I can't accept your offer. But I have a verbal contract with Prince Vegeta. He and I made a bargain and I won't have it broken."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Zoda feigned disappointment. "But please don't turn me down so quickly without hearing what I have to offer. I'm certain that I can give you much more than what that monkey is capable of. Just consider this… If you transfer to my outpost, not a single strand of your beautiful hair will come into harm. Every soldier on this base will treat you with the utmost respect. You will live in comfort. There are sections of this base that are very luxurious and you will have full access to those spaces. Stay here with me and I will make yours what is mine."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Bra demanded. She was completely and utterly flustered by the commander's forwardness. "A-are you asking what I think you are? You want me to be your… your _girlfriend_ or something?"

A coy smile stretched across the commander's purple lips. "Call it what you want," she shamelessly and cryptically admitted while lifting a hand to gently caress Bra's cheek. "It has been so many years since I've had the company of another woman. You must understand that feeling, being surrounded by three brutish saiyan men… Don't you want to get away from them? To surround yourself with different company? All you have to do is say it, and I can make your situation change now…"

As Zoda whispered her words of seduction, she leaned down towards the blue-haired girl. Bra easily deciphered the commander's intention to steal a kiss from her lips, and not a chaste one at that. The girl made an attempt to pull away from the giant woman's advance, but found that she was frozen in place. _Why can't I move!?_ the teen wondered in alarm. _What did she do to me!? I can't even access my ki to defend myself!_

Bra watched in horror as Zoda's partially parted lips drew closer and closer to her own. Unable to protect herself from the commander's advance, Bra's entire body filled with the icy tendrils of fear. Her stomach twisted into knots, her heart thudded in her chest, and adrenaline coursed through her veins. Her mind and body screamed at her to do something. _Anything_. But paralyzed as she was, she could do nothing but watch in horror.

Suddenly, a gloved hand came from behind Bra and covered her mouth. The same hand yanked her backwards and out of Zoda's grasp. Just as quickly, Bra found herself spun around and shoved away from the commander. Bra stumbled from the unexpected force and if it weren't for the waiting arms of a tall, armored soldier, she would have fallen to the floor.

"Just what the fuck do you think you're doing, Zoda?"

Bra immediately recognized her father's threatening voice coming from behind her. Simultaneously, she felt relief and surprise. She hadn't expected that he'd come to her rescue, but she was glad that he had come across her when he had. Finding that she was able to move again now that she was no longer under the commander's spell, the girl looked up to identify whose arms she had been thrust into. Surprisingly, she discovered that she was in Nappa's custody. The mustachioed man didn't so much as glance down at her, however. He kept his fierce gaze locked on Zoda. Craning her head around to look behind her, Bra found that Vegeta and Raditz were facing off against Zoda. The duo were serving as a protective barrier as they glared at her attacker.

Zoda rose to her full height and ignored the hard stares she was receiving from the saiyan trio. "Oh? Whatever do you mean? I was simply asking Bulla if she was going to visit the mess hall any time soon. I _am_ keeping the staff on duty longer than usual, just for her. With this outpost's meager budget, I can't afford to pay the cooks to stay in the kitchens forever, you know."

"Cut the shit, Zoda. I know what you were trying to do," Vegeta growled.

The commander flashed a coy grin. "You saiyans… never wanting to share your toys…"

"I told you already… the girl belongs to _me_."

Bra, despite feeling extremely unsettled, managed to mumble, "But I don't belong to _anyone_…"

"Silence, girl!" the prince snarled.

Bra winced at his tone and silently complied.

To emphasize his need for her complete obedience, Vegeta sent her a mental warning. _"Don't say another damned word until this is over, girl. If you refute me again, I will hand you over to Zoda myself and _let_ your damn body be stolen from you!"_

Now Bra was really confused. _Wait a minute… My body? Stolen?_ she wondered. _I thought Zoda was trying to seduce me…_

Zoda, however, used Bra's mild outburst to her advantage. "Ah, you see, Vegeta? Bulla denies your ownership of her. That means she's a free woman and can make her own choices! Now, let her go so she can decide for herself whether she wishes to remain with you or if she'd like to stay here with me."

But Vegeta had a quick rebuttal. "The girl is clearly still in denial over her situation. She is bound to me by the conditions of an agreement she willingly accepted. She is indebted to me and I will not release her until her obligations have been satisfactorily met."

Bra turned away from Zoda to hide the wry expression on her face. _More like Daddy is indebted to _me_. I _did_ save his ass from that radiated planet… And he's _yet_ to do anything to help me find my way back home…_

"Yes. Bulla has already mentioned this agreement," Zoda snapped. Her tone had grown more irritable as her odds of capturing the girl became smaller. "But I haven't been made privy to the details of this alleged arrangement of yours and I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't fabricated."

Zoda took a step forward as if to push her way past Vegeta and Raditz in order to claim Bra, but the commander took no more than that one step. In the brief moment that Zoda made that bold move, the saiyan prince had lifted his right arm, flattening his hand and tucking his thumb against his index finger, and aimed a ball of bright, blue ki ball at her chest. Zoda took one glance at the pending attack and hesitated. Despite knowing that she was at least three times Vegeta's strength, the deadly glint in his eye caused her to falter.

"You shall _continue_ to wonder because our agreement is none of your fucking business," Vegeta hissed. In a deadlier tone, he added, "And if I find that you make another grab for what is mine, I will have your hands ripped from your arms and shoved so far down your throat that you'll never be able to swap bodies again!"

Zoda gritted her teeth and glared spitefully at the saiyan prince. She realized that she should have known better than to assume that the flame-haired man was unaware of both her true identity _and_ of her abilities. And now that Vegeta had also discovered her attempt to steal Bra's body, the commander knew that she had just lost all chances of succeeding with the swap. Even if Zoda attacked Vegeta and his saiyan posse and took the girl by force, she'd still have hell to pay for it later. After all, the monkey prince was Frieza's favored warrior.

Vegeta took the pink-skinned woman's silent wrath as a clear indication that he had won the confrontation. "If you have no other business here, I suggest you leave us," the prince ordered, using his position as a squad captain to trump her position as a commander. "And I do believe that you have more important things to do… such as sending that insisted upon request to Lord Frieza for our acquisition of replacement space pods."

Defeated, Zoda wordlessly dismissed herself from the laundry room. As soon as she was gone, the royal saiyan extinguished his ki ball. Despite the commander's departure, the tension in the air was still very thick. No one immediately spoke. With a silent nod from Vegeta, Nappa released Bra. The girl found herself feeling suddenly vulnerable and wrapped her arms around herself protectively. As she glanced between her saiyan saviors, she discovered that she was the focus of their scrutiny.

"What?" the teen demanded, finally breaking the awkward silence.

"Did Zoda begin the body swap process with you?" Vegeta calmly inquired.

"Huh?"

"Do you feel any of his essence within you?"

"No, I don'- Wait… '…_his_ essence…?' Don't you mean '_her_?'" Bra stuttered in confusion.

Nappa chuckled. "Zoda is really a man. The body he's wearing now is female, but his true form, the body he was born into, was male."

Bra blinked perplexingly. She opened her mouth to speak, but words failed to form. She was stunned, not only by the realization that her body had very nearly been taken from her, but also for the fact that knowing Zoda's true gender.

"Why do you look so surprised?" Raditz asked. "Zoda isn't the first body-snatcher that you've met during our travels."

The blunette gazed up at her former suitor. "It's not that… It's just… Nevermind…" She shook her head, trying to rid herself of her surprise. "So… Zoda is a body-snatcher… like Captain Ginyu, right?"

"Right," Vegeta replied. "As a matter of fact, Commander Zoda is Captain Ginyu's little brother."

"Really? No kidding?" Bra gasped. "Zoda is Ginyu's brother!?"

"Yes," the prince confirmed. "It's understandable that you wouldn't have made the connection since neither of them dwell in their original bodies. As a matter of fact, the bodies they currently reside in are of completely different races. Their ability to swap bodies with others is sort of a family trait.

"However, since Ginyu is the elder brother, his ability is much more refined than Zoda's. Ginyu can steal the body of his victim from any distance, as long as that person is in his line of sight. Zoda, on the other hand, is the weaker of the two. He can only take another's body if he locks his mouth with that of his victim. Because the necessity for such close proximity comes at such a severe disadvantage, Zoda has the additional ability to paralyze his victim when physical contact is made."

Bra's eyes widened with this new information. "So that's why I couldn't move when she – _he_ – touched my cheek…"

Vegeta nodded to confirm her epiphany.

"And sh— er… _he_ wasn't really trying to seduce me at all. He was just trying to get close enough to steal my body…" Bra was quiet for a moment as she came to terms with the barely avoided catastrophe. "But… why _me_?"

Nappa scoffed. "Yeah! Why _her_? She's many times weaker than Zoda! Why would he want to take the wench's body?"

Bra nearly reacted to the giant's words with a scoff of her own, but managed to suppress it. _Ha! If only he knew that Zoda is actually about _half_ my true strength…_

Raditz answered the question. "Because Zoda doesn't care too much for power. It's _Ginyu_ who chooses his victims for their brute strength. _Zoda_ prefers to target people for their beauty."

The blunette's face reddened at the round-about compliment. Her eyes darted to the long-haired saiyan as he finished his explanation. She found that his dark eyes were locked onto hers, boring into her with such intensity that she couldn't look away. The anger she had grown accustomed to seeing in the brown depths was suddenly missing. In its place, there was something new, something she couldn't quite describe. What she saw wasn't quite like longing, but it was close. Regret, perhaps? She wondered what had happened since that morning that had caused this shift.

Uncomfortable beneath Raditz's gaze, Bra forced herself to avert her eyes. Still curious about one thing, she asked the trio, "How did you all know that I was in danger? How did you know to come rescue me?"

Vegeta provided the answer. "Don't assume too much, girl. We didn't come here to rescue you," he chastised. "We simply came here to protect a valuable asset."

Bra was very crestfallen. "That's all I am to you? An asset? A tool at your disposal?"

"No," the prince replied bluntly. "You're also a pain in my ass. But as long as you are useful to me, I will ignore the inconveniences that come along with the package."

The teenager bowed her head in anger as her father's hurtful words echoed in her mind. "That's very reassuring," she groused, trying to keep the lilt out of her voice. After all she had done for him so far, after all she had done to prove herself to him, she couldn't believe that he still thought so little of her. "If I'm such a nuisance, then why keep me around at all? Why not let Zoda have me? Or better yet… why not just kill me right now?" she cried as she fought the tears trying to form in her eyes.

The accusation in Bra's tone infuriated Vegeta. "You ungrateful, little brat!" he spat venomously as he whirled around to glare at her through narrowed eyes. "Do you not realize that I just risked the lives of myself and my men to save your insufferable ass!?"

Bra recoiled away from her father's rage. A shocked look spread across her face. Of course she realized that. During the moment that Bra had succumbed to her emotions after hearing her father's hurtful words, she had simply neglected to acknowledge the risk he had taken to protect her. She immediately regretted her spiteful accusation, wishing she could take it back.

The prince continued his tirade. "Although I outrank Zoda, the strength he has in his current form is greater than my own. If he had been more insistent, there would have been nothing I could have done to stop him from taking you! So consider yourself extremely lucky! If it weren't for Juus's warning, you'd currently be walking around in the skin of a fifty year old hag!"

Unable to suppress them any longer, tears trickled down Bra's face. But these were not the tears of pain and anger. These were the tears of shame and sorrow. She averted her gaze, unable to look her father in the eyes, unwilling to witness his barely contained wrath. How could she have been so narrow-minded? How could she not have realized – even momentarily – the danger her father had put himself in?

The girl was slipping, she acknowledged. She was growing too accustomed to the company of her three saiyan companions. And as a result, she was becoming forgetful of her father's limited strength in this era. It was no wonder that she had been more concerned for her hurt feelings than for his safety. Failing to remember his limitations, she also failed to remember that weaklings, such as Zoda, were a very real and dangerous threat to her younger father.

"I'm sorry," the blunette whispered. She turned around to make a hasty retreat, but was stopped before she could make it to the door.

"Just where the hell do you think you're going?" Vegeta demanded.

Bra paused and looked back over her shoulder questioningly. She made no attempt to hide the twin trails of tears painted on her rosy cheeks.

The flame-haired saiyan declared, "You have unfinished work here, girl. Our armor is not yet cleaned."

The halfling felt the stirrings of rage begin to simmer beneath the ocean of guilt she had been experiencing. She was very tempted to scream at the cold, uncaring saiyan prince. She wanted to yell at him, to tell him to go shove his laundry somewhere unpleasant. Just barely, she kept this desire in check. With silent ire, she returned to the laundry machine and continued where she had left off when she had been interrupted by Zoda.

Vegeta turned towards his men and began to dole out instructions. "Now that we know Zoda has his eyes set on the girl, she's not to go anywhere on this base unescorted. Raditz, stay with her for now. Nappa, go to the mess hall and retrieve something for her to eat – I very much doubt that Zoda will keep the kitchens open much longer now that his plans have been dashed."

The prince began to head towards the exit when Nappa asked, "What're ya plannin' to do, Prince Vegeta?"

The royal man paused and answered over his shoulder, "I'm going to go check up on Zoda. Obviously, that pink-skinned freak doesn't feel that our situation requires urgency. He should have sent that request to Frieza while we were in the regen tanks. I want to make sure that that conniving bastard gets that message sent immediately. I don't wish to be on this outpost any longer than necessary."

Vegeta left the laundry facility, shortly followed by Nappa, leaving Bra and Raditz behind. The girl quietly continued her assigned task, giving only her back to her guard. Raditz watched her, silent as well, feeling very awkward being in the same room as her at the moment. Uncertain what to do with himself, the long-haired man took a seat near the doorway. He watched Bra as she put the last piece of armor into the machine and then moved to the other end where the clean and dried laundry was just beginning to emerge. She began to meticulously fold what garments she could. With those that she could not, she simply set them aside into separate piles based upon ownership.

Occasionally, the sound of a sniffle echoed in the otherwise quiet room. Every now and then, the girl would take a moment to wipe away the moisture from her eyes. Raditz was helpless to do anything to comfort her. There remained a giant chasm between the two of them, the rift that had opened up with her rejection of him and her declaration of love for the prince. And to see how Vegeta's behavior was impacting the girl tore Raditz apart. Although the third-class saiyan had earlier reached the epiphany that her rejection had likely been his own fault, he acknowledged that his feelings on the topic were still a little bitter, as laced with guilt as they were. This was the obstacle that prevented him from knowing how to handle the girl's tumultuous emotions. So he said nothing to her.

Fortunately for Raditz, Bra was the one who eventually broke the silence and gave them a topic of conversation to pass the time while they waited for Nappa's return. "I don't know why I even have to be doing this," the girl grumbled. "I'm not his maid…"

Raditz seized on the opportunity to speak to her. Perhaps an explanation could provide some comfort. "Prince Vegeta has taken great pains to try to convince everyone on this base that you were acquired for your domestic skills."

Bra snorted. "Domestic skills, my ass. You all should know by now that 'women's work' isn't my forte."

The long-haired man grinned. "Yes. _We_ do. But no one else on this base knows that."

There was a moment of silence before the teen asked, "Why the ruse?"

Raditz was glad she had asked. He knew it was only a matter of time before her curiosity got the better of her. He was relieved to see that her tears were drying over the course of their conversation.

"Well… this _is_ one of Frieza's outposts," Raditz stated. "It only makes sense that he has eyes and ears all over the place. It's likely to get back to him sooner or later that the saiyan prince has picked up a straggler. And Frieza's going to want to know why."

"So he wants everyone on this base to think I'm his servant," she stated with spite, but was unable to hide the understanding in her voice.

"Precisely. You see, Prince Vegeta acknowledges your skills and abilities. He doesn't want Frieza to recognize them as well."

Another long silence fell between them as Bra considered this information. She supposed that her father's motives were sound. While she wasn't privy to the sorts of horrific things Frieza was capable of – other than the brief glimpse she had witnessed in her father's memories – she knew enough that gaining Frieza's interest was not a good thing. It was best to play it safe in order to avoid the ice lord's attention. She decided, now that she understood what was going on, that she'd cooperate with her father. He was doing this to protect her, after all, even if he had his own motivations for doing so.

With that issue settled, there was another unanswered question rattling around Bra's mind that she wanted to address. "So… Juus was the one that tipped you guys off?"

During the comfortable silence, Raditz had taken to watching the girl as she sorted the laundry to occupy himself. Her sudden question slightly startled him. "Hnn? Juus? Yeah. She interrupted our training session to tell us of Zoda's plans. Juus is lucky she had been so persistent. Prince Vegeta hates to be disturbed during training."

Bra knew that fact all too well and allowed a smile to touch her lips. After indulging in her mirth for that brief moment, she asked, "But why did Juus do that? I thought he works for Zoda… Why would he betray his boss?" Her eyes lit up as something suddenly dawned on her. She spun around to face her companion for the first time during their exchange. "Wait a minute… did you just refer to Juus as a 'she?'"

Raditz nodded. "I did."

Bra's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean… Juus is really a woman?"

"Well…" the long-haired man drawled, but wasn't able to elaborate as the girl's insight and intuition fired into overdrive, making connections.

The teen theorized, "Juus really _was_ a woman… but she's not now… because her body was stolen… by Zoda!?"

Raditz nodded again, this time with a small smile.

Bra wasn't done yet. "No wonder Juus was acting so submissively this whole time! Because he's really a girl!" she shared her observations. And then, she guessed, "So the body Zoda resides in now… it wouldn't happen to be Juus's original body, is it?"

"That's what Juus claims," the third-class saiyan confirmed.

"But I still don't get it," the blunette stated. "Why would Juus have stopped Zoda from body swapping with me? Wouldn't that have given Juus the opportunity to get her body back?"

"Apparently," Raditz answered. "But it seems that Juus succumbed to her guilty conscious. She told us that after having suffered for twenty-some-odd years of watching Zoda abuse the body he had stolen from her, she couldn't in good conscious watch as the commander stole the body of another."

"Oh, wow…" Bra whispered. "I suppose I owe Juus a big 'thank you.'"

Raditz grumbled disapprovingly. "I should make you aware that Juus was also the one who orchestrated the opportunity for Zoda to cross paths with you."

"Really?" the teenager responded. Then she reflected, "Well, I can't really _blame _him—_her_ for that. She was probably following orders. She was probably too scared not to…"

The long-haired saiyan hummed in thought. "Possibly," he agreed, reflecting on all the things he'd done in Frieza's name simply for the fact that he was too afraid to disobey the ice lord.

"I should do something to help Juus," Bra declared. She felt indebted to her savior. "It's not right that she's stuck in a body not her own… I should try to help her get her true body back."

"Leave it be," Raditz bluntly replied.

Bra was confused and startled. "Why? If I can help her…"

"Don't," her former suitor insisted. "First and foremost, Prince Vegeta will not allow you to go near either Juus or Zoda for the remainder of our stay here. Second, if you make any attempts to restore Juus to her own body, you'll only tip Zoda off to the fact that Juus was responsible for preventing your own body from being stolen. And if that happens, Juus will be treated like a traitor and will likely be executed for treason."

"That's so not fair…" the blunette groused.

"That's life."

Bra sighed. "But what kind of life is it when your most personal possession is taken from you…?"

* * *

_Ping, ping, ping… Piiiiing, piiiiing, piiiiing…  
Ping, ping, ping, piiiiing… Ping… Ping, piiiiing, ping… Piiiiing, ping, piiiiing, piiiiing…  
Piiiiing, ping, ping, ping… Piiiiing, piiiiing, piiiiing… Ping, piiiiing, ping… Ping… Piiiiing, ping, ping…_

"Will you stop that?" Nappa snarled at his charge.

Bra huffed in irritation but stopped the tapping of her foot against the post of the bunk bed she was currently laying on. After finishing with the laundry, she had been escorted back to their assigned dormitory. A meager spread of leftovers from the mess hall had been left on one of the empty bunks for her, thanks to Nappa. After she and Raditz had placed the clean armor and clothing onto the beds of their respective owners, the girl hastily dug into the small meal. It was not long afterwards that Nappa had returned to the garrison to relieve Raditz of guard duty.

Nappa was righteously annoyed that he had been ordered to babysit. He could be doing much better things with his time. As he tried to think of the things he could have been doing in lieu of watching over the girl, he realized that his alternatives were truthfully quite limited. Normally, he'd have left the base by now to go cruising through one of the local towns, boozing and whoring until the wee hours of the morning. But this outpost was located on a planet that had been purged of its natives over a century and a half ago and had remained unwelcome to civilians ever since. So those options were clearly out.

These limitations didn't deter the mustachioed man from lamenting his current predicament. The option of training or sparring was always available. He always enjoyed a good fight to get his blood pumping. If it wasn't for the fact that he had to stay put, he'd probably be scouring the training facilities in search of a worthy partner or two to beat on. And if the local warriors were worthy enough, he might have even made a few wagers to make things a little more interesting.

But no. Nappa had to watch over the insufferable little wench and make sure she didn't get her precious little body stolen. From his sitting position on the top tier of his makeshift bed – three bunks pushed together to make one giant bed – he craned his head around to gaze down upon the girl laying on her own cot. He could barely see her from his viewpoint since she had made a few modifications to her bed as well. She had used some of the sheets from the spare beds around her to wall off a small section of the dorm, tucking the corners into the bunks neighboring her own. It was through a slim gap between the sheets that he could barely see the top of her blue head as she lay on the bottom bunk.

Just looking at the teenager made the bald-headed man increasingly furious. _She is such a bother!_ he grumbled. _Such a waste of my time to babysit her! She cannot be anymore useless… unable to protect her own self… I ought to get rid of her… Now is the perfect opportunity. The two of us are alone… There will not be any witnesses… After she is dead, I can lure any poor bastard in here and kill him too… to make it look like _he_ had been the one to assassinate the wench… and _I_ had been the one who attempted to prevent it, but sadly, too late. It is the perfect crime…_

Nappa lifted a finger to carry out his devious plot and aimed it at Bra. All he had to do was send a single beam of energy through the top of her head and she'd be done. Only… he couldn't bring himself to do it. Frustrated, he let his hand fall into his lap. He felt the smallest, tiniest, itty-bittiest spark of guilt manifest at the thought of bringing harm upon her. Why? Because he just _had_ to remember the display of compassion she had shown him when she found him violently ill during their stay on that radiated planet. It was an act of kindness that _still_ had him bewildered. He hadn't been privy to that sort of altruism since… Well… since his days on Planet Vegeta. As a matter of fact, the last person who had shown him that level of concern had been Chaya.

A grimace formed beneath the man's pencil-thin mustache as he thought of his long-deceased mate. Although she had been taken from him over two decades ago, the pain of her loss still weighed heavily on him. With his inner saiyan unable to cope with the grief, he tried very hard not to think of her. The only time he ever allowed himself to think of Chaya was during the moments before a planetary cleansing. During these times, he would only think of her and he would lose himself in the pain of her absence. He gave himself over to his inner beast's unfathomable rage and insatiable desire for revenge. His victims never had a chance of survival when he put himself into this state.

After allowing himself to become so deeply submerged into his beast's insanity, the only way Nappa could pull himself out of it was with a heavy dose of sedation and mindless distraction. In other words, he would drink himself into an emotionless blur and then he'd fuck whatever piece of ass he could find, willing or not. When he eventually climbed out from these mindless, wrath-filled pits, he once again bottled up his grief, in addition to the shame of having dishonored Chaya's memory with his behavior, until he needed to call upon it again.

The general stared at his blue-haired charge, realizing that her simple act of kindness was causing memories and emotions to seep out of that bottle; memories and emotions that he had worked very hard to keep at bay. For the first time in over a decade, he thought of his twin boys, Kohul and Rabii. Mere toddlers when Planet Vegeta met its demise, Nappa wondered how his sons would have turned out had they survived. Just as quickly as the thought emerged, he squashed it down. He cursed the girl, blaming the influence she had on him for making him soft and weak.

Nappa steeled his nerves. _The girl must go,_ he told himself as he lifted his hand and aimed his finger at her once again. Just as he began to gather his ki into his fingertip, the girl suddenly shifted her head to face him, one big blue eye visible through that narrow gap between the sheets. The giant froze as she stared at him inquisitively. He dropped his finger, finding her gaze to be very unsettling. It was as if she had been able to read his mind, knew what he had planned to do, and was curious to see if he actually had the balls to carry it out. The odd thing was that she wasn't wearing her scouter, therefore she shouldn't have been able to detect if had he formed the attack. He shrugged it off as being a mere coincidence… that she had simply turned her head at the very moment he had planned on killing her. Still, what was most disquieting of all was that nowhere in her eyes did he see fear.

As he nervously stared back at Bra, Nappa watched as her eyebrow suddenly slanted down above her eye as her ponderous gaze shifted into one of annoyance. "_**Creeper**_," the blunette retorted in her native tongue before reaching out and shifting the sheets in such a way that she sealed the gap between them, effectively cutting herself off from her guardian's line of sight.

Although Nappa didn't understand what the wench had called him, he knew enough from her look and her tone of voice that the word was meant to be an insult. He sneered at the girl despite the fact that she couldn't see the snarl on his face. The tip of his tail flicked with annoyance. He was more tempted than ever to blast her, but his observation of her alarming ability to predict his actions, whether imagined or not, stayed his hand. Instead, he clenched his fists and ground his teeth in agitation, praying to the saiyan Deities that either Vegeta or Raditz would return and take over guard duty soon.

In the semi-seclusion of her own bunk, Bra turned over onto her side as boredom drove her to her limits. Why she had to stay in their dormitory was a mystery that she _knew_ her father would never answer. She didn't understand why, since she had Nappa to play babysitter, she couldn't go exploring throughout the military base. But _nooooo_… She was told to stay put, like some sort of prisoner, with Nappa, of all people, as her jailor.

The teenager supposed it wouldn't have been so bad if she had had something to do to keep her mind occupied. But with the severe lack of gadgets and tech within the confines of their barracks, there was absolutely nothing for her to do. Expressing her boredom via the tapping of Morse code with her foot on her bedpost was apparently no longer an option as it had been quickly driving Nappa insane.

Bra sighed, wishing that Raditz and her father would return from their training soon. But from the feel of their ki levels, she determined that they'd be at it for at least another hour or two – just in time for the mess hall to open up again for dinner. She found herself almost envious of their freedom to roam the outpost. As much as she detested fighting, she actually wished she could spar with them if it meant that she could leave the confines of their dorm. But that option had been squashed as soon as she had suggested it. Vegeta didn't want anyone on the base to learn of her fighting ability and _surely_ her energy levels would be detected if she so much as threw a punch.

A soft snore suddenly filled the air, interrupting Bra from her thoughts. She listened carefully, uncertain if she had indeed heard what she thought she did. Sure enough, she noticed that Nappa's breathing had evened out, deep breaths in and slow breaths out. She checked his energy level, and confirmed that he had indeed fallen asleep. _How odd,_ she thought, _since he had been about ready to ki blast me no more than ten minutes ago._

Most importantly, the halfling realized, was that she found herself with an opportunity too perfect to pass up. She rose from her bunk and slipped between the sheets-turned-privacy-screens. Glancing up at her jailor, she grinned when she saw that he had dozed off in an upright position. Sitting on the top bunk, the girl noted that the giant's head was mere inches from the ceiling above him. Stifling a giggle, she tiptoed across the dormitory's stone floor even though she knew that even the blast of a nuclear bomb would never pull Nappa out of his slumber. When she reached the exit, she reached out to press the door release panel and froze.

Bra suddenly felt very scared and nervous about leaving the safety of the dormitory. It wasn't Zoda that she was frightened of. Not at all. Zoda she could handle, especially now that she knew the commander's method of attack. There was also the fact that the girl was the strongest person on the outpost at that moment. If push came to shove, she could easily overpower anyone, Zoda included, if she wanted to. Unfortunately, she knew that that wasn't an option if she wanted to keep herself off of Frieza's radar.

The reason that the demi-saiyan was suddenly so hesitant to leave the barracks was because she realized that she had pulled this stunt twice already and wasn't sure if she should do it again. The first incident had occurred while it was still only she and Raditz, back when they were waiting to meet up with Vegeta and Nappa on Frieza Planet 53. She had slipped out of the hotel room Raditz had rented for her so that she could go shopping for parts for her smart-watch modifications. The second incident had taken place on Planet Desra. There, she had snuck off while on watch so that she could convince the daubeni to sign Frieza's contract.

In neither incident had Bra felt she was in any true peril. She admitted that in the former occurrence, she had come across the Ginyu Force. Certainly, she was stronger than all of their members, with the exception of Ginyu himself who she figured she was equal in strength with. One-on-one, she certainly could have fared well in a battle against them, but she knew better than to believe that they would offer her a fair fight. But fortunately, her encounter with Frieza's most feared men had not ended in violence. In the latter occurrence, Bra never feared the daubeni when she sought them out. Yes, they could have overwhelmed her in numbers had they attacked her. Yes, she had been at a severe advantage when they had taken her below ground into their underground city. Yes, she could have easily gotten lost in the dark labyrinth. But never had she felt threatened by them.

In the end, both situations had ended positively. Well… as positively as the teen could have hoped for. In the Ginyu situation, she could say that she made some unlikely allies. She was fairly confident that if she ran into them again and found herself needing their help, they'd eagerly comply. As far as the daubeni went… well… she was still plagued with the uncertainty of whether or not she had done the right thing there. She was still guilty for the fact that she had convinced them to sign away their freedom. On the other hand, she had hope that in a few short years, they'd have it back.

The conundrum that Bra faced now was that of her saiyan companions. In both instances where she had slipped away to do as she pleased, she had earned the wrath of her squad mates. Raditz had been very upset and worried about her safety during her first excursion. She admitted that he had every right to have been concerned, especially when he had found her in the company of the Ginyu Force. During her second escape, it was Vegeta's wrath that she had incurred, but for different reasons. This time, it was her disobedience that had landed her in hot water, despite the fact that she had completed their mission for them.

The blue-haired girl sighed as she stared at the square panel that represented her freedom. She was caught in the middle of two choices: be a good girl and stay, or sneak away and risk earning another earful from one of her companions. There was one very important factor that made her decision clear, however. She feared that this might be the only opportunity she had to search the PTO databases for Earth's coordinates. Burying her fear, she pressed the release panel and slipped out into the dark military base.

Suppressing her ki and keeping to the shadows of the unlit portions of the outpost to avoid detection, Bra followed the energy signals of the weakest individuals in residence. She had quickly learned during her few visits to PTO bases that those who had high ki levels were soldiers… and those who didn't were typically technicians. She was very certain that if she followed those lower energy levels, she find a computer lab of some kind. And sure enough, she did.

The teenager waited outside one of several windows of a building that housed dozens of computer stations within. She observed two technicians inside who didn't seem to be very busy… at least not with their work. The two aliens were quite engaged in a conversation, one that Bra wasn't privy to since they were speaking in their native language and she had neglected to retrieve her scouter prior to her little excursion. Bra grumbled in annoyance. She knew that she couldn't access the computer lab as long as the two men lingered inside.

Bra waited impatiently as the technicians' conversation carried on. She glanced at her smart-watch every few minutes or so, counting the time wasted. Meanwhile, the growing anxiety in the pit of her stomach reminded her that the more time spent waiting for them to leave meant that she'd have less time to do her search. It also meant that her chances of being caught increased with every passing moment.

After what seemed like an eternity, but had actually been twenty-seven minutes and sixteen seconds, the two aliens suddenly rose from their work stations and headed towards the exit. Bra couldn't believe how suddenly the situation had changed. She waited a few more minutes, just to be sure that neither technician doubled back, before she slipped through the open window. She approached a work station that was close to the window yet out of the line of sight of the doorway so that she could make a fast escape should someone unexpectedly return. Of course, with her ability to sense ki, she'd know well ahead of time that someone was approaching.

The computer that the halfling seated herself at was already powered on, like most of the machines around her. The holographic monitor, however, was turned off. Like most computers back home, this one only needed a single keystroke to bring the monitor out of its 'sleep' mode. When the monitor lit up, the girl was met with a line of text that said _'Planet Trade Organization Data Network'_ and a command request for a password.

"Of course," Bra smiled coyly to herself.

It was obvious that the PTO computer network would be password protected. But that didn't deter the girl one iota. To an amateur, such an obstacle would have been impossible to overcome. But not for Bra Briefs! Grinning, almost like a madwoman, she cracked her knuckles and activated the PTO systems link on her smart-watch. She waited patiently for a connection to be made between the two devices.

Long ago, Bra had learned that every program on every computer had its vulnerabilities. Back-doors designed into the programming, poorly scripted security software, and out-of-date software were only a few of the things that made a computer vulnerable. Bra knew that all she had to do was find a computer's weak points and she could burrow herself into its files. In this case, she knew that this computer's biggest vulnerability was the vast PTO network itself – the very thing that was password protected. With the link finally established between her smart-watch and the computer, she was ready to exploit this weakness.

The task wasn't easy. Without her laptop and the hacker programs the teen had designed, breaking into the Network was taking some time. She used the connection between her smart-watch and the computer as a gateway into the security software. Very soon, she hit her first roadblock. Whoever had designed the encryption for the programming script had done an excellent job. But Bra had tackled coding that was far more complex than this. She quickly discovered a pattern in the encryption and began pecking at the sequencing, searching for the mathematical constant – a numeric value that served as the common denominator which, once discovered, would allow her to unravel the rest of the encryption.

Finding the constant was tricky. In her search, Bra found a few false constants – or variables. These variables were security traps that, if used to try to decipher and translate the coding, would inadvertently rewrite the script into a computer virus and would wipe the computer's operating system and lock it out of the Network entirely. She had to hand it to the software designer for his or her cleverness. A lesser skilled hacker would have fallen for these traps. A few more minutes of scouring the encryption and she found the correct constant. From there, it was a simple matter of plugging the correct value into the script and the encryption became undone. The password prompt on the holographic monitor disappeared and the Network became hers to access.

The blunette navigated through the Network's program files until she found what she was looking for; a navigational search engine and galactic map. She beamed with excitement as her goal was just at her fingertips! Immediately, she keyed EARTH into the 'search' field. She wasn't surprised when the result indicated that no match had been found. Like she had done so many months ago when Raditz had procured a space pod for her on Planet Aphis, she typed all of the variations of her home world's name into the search engine. And like before, she came up with nothing.

Bra stared at the monitor in stunned disbelief. She had been depending on the PTO database as the means to finding her way home. She had no backup plan! No alternate method! No substitute strategy! This was her one and only resort! The PTO was a wide and extensive force and its Network stretched wide and far. It had a wealth of information as great as the number of planets under its influence. If the PTO didn't have the answer she needed, then who else would? No one. That's who…

The halfling was on the brink of despair. But she forced herself to press onward. She couldn't give up so soon! She had been taught better than that! Her father – the one from her era – would have had a fit if he knew she was giving up so easily!

With thoughts of her father in mind, Bra renewed her determination and wracked her brain for ideas. That's when an idea suddenly popped into her head. _Planet Namek! Of course!_ she realized. _Frieza will eventually find his way there somehow… As will Daddy… So the coordinates for Planet Namek _must_ be in the PTO database! If I can get _those_ coordinates, I should be able to map out a route from there to Earth. And in the worst case scenario, if I can't recreate the route from Namek to Earth, then maybe the namekians will let me borrow their dragonballs…_

With newfound hope, Bra typed NAMEK into the search engine. After a few moments of processing, the computer again came back with no found match. Adrenaline and fear rising, she tried again, this time entering SURUG SYSTEM into the computer. Again, no match. _That's not possible,_ she lamented in utter disbelief. _Daddy and Frieza will both head to Namek in a few years from now. How can the PTO _not_ have the coordinates?_ she agonized until a theory popped into her head. _Perhaps… Perhaps the PTO doesn't have it _yet._ Perhaps it's discovered during the time between now and then…_

The teen slumped in her chair, defeated. _That's just great,_ she lamented. _So my only option is to sit around and wait until someone from the PTO discovers Planet Namek? I don't have time for that! It could be too late to wish myself to the present by the time someone stumbles across Namek's coordinates! _As much as she wanted to surrender to her fate, Bra refused to give up. She realized that she was going to have to revise her plans and hope that a new development would unravel in the near future. Until then, she was simply going to have to be ready to jump when (or if) the opportunity presented itself. As she reassured herself that all hope was not yet lost, she disconnected her smart-watch from the computer terminal. As soon as the connection terminated, a familiar energy source entered her sensory field.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Bra muttered as she recognized the approaching ki source as belonging to Nappa.

Depressed that her little escapade had been for naught, the blue-haired girl didn't need the added annoyance that her absence had been discovered. She didn't know how Nappa would react to her giving him the slip, but she had an inkling that it wouldn't be good if prior reactions to her outings were considered. She squashed her ki down as low as she could to try to hinder Nappa's progress of tracking her down. Making sure that the area was clear of any ki sources belonging to anyone who could discover her whereabouts, she climbed back out the window she had slipped through earlier.

Concerned with avoiding an approaching Nappa, Bra failed to notice that she had forgotten to delete her search history…

* * *

Earlier in the barracks, Nappa had woken with a start, his upper body jerking as several muscles suddenly twitched. He gasped and coughed, reflexively opening up his nasal passages which had closed up during his slumber. _I must have stopped breathing again,_ he explained the reason for waking so abruptly. _Damn airways keep closing up. Seems like it is getting worse._ Having slept in an upright position hadn't helped his apnea much either.

The giant stretched his stiff limbs, nearly scraping his balled fists against the ceiling overhead. He hopped down from his bunk, gave himself another good stretch to work out the remaining kinks, and sleepily scratched at a few places that needed scratching. It was at that moment that he noticed how awfully quiet it was inside the barracks. He looked over to his left, expecting to see the sheets Bra had hung between the beds still in their place. What he actually saw was a different story.

One of the sheets-turned-privacy-screen had fallen out of place and hung limply from a bed neighboring the one where Nappa had last seen Bra. With the sheet hanging by one corner, his view of the girl's bunk was unobstructed… and the bed was vacant. His first thought was that perhaps she had gone to use the toilet. But after stepping into an empty column between the rows of bunks, he saw that all of the toilets and showers were empty.

"That fucking little bitch!" the bald man roared in his native tongue. "I cannot believe she would pull such a stunt yet again!" Glancing again at her empty bed and seeing a particular device resting there, he further cursed her, "And the dumb bitch did not even have the sense to take her scouter with her!"

Nappa stormed towards the exit, determined to find the girl and teach her a lesson once and for all. He didn't give a damn if she went out and got herself hurt, or killed, or body swapped, or what else. As a matter of fact, if one or more of the above _did_ happen to her, he'd be glad for it. Hell, he'd personally _thank_ the person that got rid of her.

The mustachioed saiyan stepped outside. Clicking his scouter, he scanned the base, hoping he'd be able to find the girl quickly. Of course, he had no luck doing so. Certain energy sources, such as Vegeta's and Zoda's (both of which were much higher than the average power level on the outpost), were easy to identify. But the wench's energy level, Nappa had learned, stayed relatively low unless she felt threatened, making her impossible to single out, even amongst the small population currently in residence.

"Damn it!" Nappa cursed the uselessness of his scouter as he resorted to plan B. He scanned the challengingly flat terrain with his eyes. With the ground paved over as it was, he knew that the girl wouldn't have left any tracks for him to follow. Not visible ones, anyway.

The saiyan general closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath through his nose, picking apart the various scents, odors, and aromas lingering in the air. The fact that the entire outpost was protected beneath a giant dome worked towards his advantage. The dome prevented any and all elements from disturbing the atmosphere beneath it. Without any wind, the air was unnaturally calm. Almost immediately, Nappa deciphered the scent of Bra's perfume, a sweet floral cocktail that she insisted on wearing for some reason or another. He theorized that the faux odor was one of many ways in which she was being deceitful.

Locking onto the lingering scent, Nappa carefully followed its trail. _The scent is weak,_ he noted. _She likely slipped away less than half a decimark ago. She has not had much time to get too far or to get into too much mischief. This is good. I have time to locate her, retrieve her, and return to the dormitory before Prince Vegeta finds her missing. Of course, she will still have to be punished…_

Nappa's earlier plot reentered his mind at that thought. _Or… perhaps this is an even _better_ opportunity to assassinate the wench,_ he schemed. _I'll find the girl, kill her, and then return to the dormitory and resume my nap as if nothing happened. Prince Vegeta and Raditz will return to find her gone. Eventually her body will be found. The prince will not blame me for her murder. She has already proven to be disobedient. It will be seen as her own fault. Vegeta will still punish me for being so careless as to allow her to slip away and get herself killed. But the punishment will be worth it if it means being rid of that wretched girl. _

As the bald-headed man followed the trail of perfume, he realized that he was being led towards the outpost's tech center. _That does not surprise me in the least,_ he growled. The trail led towards a small building, leading right up to an open window. The scent on the window frame was very strong and he knew that the girl must have climbed through in order to gain access into the computer lab within. The lab itself was empty, however.

Nappa sniffed the air again, discovering that a second, stronger trail led away from the window and into another direction. He activated his scouter again and this time he found a single, small energy source moving away from his location. A malicious grin spread across his face. _You can run, little one, but you cannot hide forever. Not from one of the best trackers in the entire PTO!_

* * *

As Bra headed towards the outskirts of the outpost and into the shadows once again to conceal herself from being discovered, she realized, too late, the mistake she had made by doing so. Although she kept her ki pushed down as low as possible, she discovered that it didn't matter how much she suppressed her energy if she was all alone. With no one around her to mingle with, even her single digit ki level stood out like a splotch of white against a black canvas. And the reason she came to this realization was the fact that she could sense Nappa's energy signal closing in on her.

"Bloody hell," the teen swore as she accepted the fact that she wasn't going to be able to avoid her assigned guardian much longer. She gave up the pretense of squashing her ki, allowing it to grow a little bit so that it wasn't so much of a chore just to keep it low, and waited for the bald-headed brute to catch up to her.

When Nappa rounded an abandoned building and Bra came into his line-of-sight, he found her facing him expectedly with arms crossed over her chest and a foot tapping impatiently. The sight threw him for just a moment. Without her scouter to alert her, he expected he would have caught her unawares as she futilely tried to navigate the base undetected. He didn't expect to see her waiting for him. Quickly, he shrugged the unsettling feeling aside and approached her.

"Well, well, well," the giant taunted. "Looks like we got ourselves a little girl who doesn't know how to keep put…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

"No. I don't think ya _do_ know," Nappa snarled. "Ya _must_ be lookin' for someone to kill ya cuz ya keep pushin' yer luck sneakin' off like this!"

Bra didn't want to hear his lecture. "Look. I'm sorry I ran off again. But I had a really good reason to do it."

"I don't care _what_ yer reason is. It's _treason_ is what it is."

"That's _**redonkulous**_!" the halfling protested. "I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Disobeying Prince Vegeta's orders is the same as treason and is to be punished!"

Bra rolled her eyes. "I don't wanna fight you, Nappa."

The mustachioed man grinned wickedly. "Good, cuz I never said anythin' about fightin'. I want ya to roll over and die!"

Before Bra could defend herself, Nappa conjured up a ball of ki and fired it at the girl. The dishonorably cheap shot was so quickly executed that it was also very poorly aimed. Fortunately, it struck her shoulder instead of somewhere vital. At the moment of the attack, she still had her ki very suppressed and a direct hit would have left her in critical condition. As it was, the attack had burned away the fabric of her armor and had seared the flesh of her shoulder.

That sneak attack was the only one the general would land successfully. Encouraged by the success of his ki blast, he followed it up by charging at the blunette with both fists charged with ki. He planned on ending this very quickly for two reasons. The first reason was that he wanted to keep his involvement in her death a secret and needed to return to the garrison as soon as possible in order to do that. The second reason was that he knew from experience that, given enough time while being threatened, the girl would have been able to gather enough of her energy to protect herself and unravel his plans.

Nappa threw a series of well-aimed punches and jabs at his prey, fully expecting to incapacitate her. Bra, however, was more than ready for him by the time he launched his second attack at her. Enraged that she had been attacked without warning and without reason (what kind of fair fight was it if she wasn't given a warning first?), she loosed her ki until it was enough above Nappa's that his attacks posed no threat to her. She blocked the right hook he threw at her, dodged the left jab aimed for her face, and leapt away from the roundhouse kick that came at her left side. A coy smile slid across her face, taunting him to continue.

The bald-headed saiyan didn't take the bait. Not this time. He had learned from their first fight. The girl had used his temper against him in that fight and had made a mockery of him. This time, he was determined to keep a clear head. She would not make a fool out of him twice!

Nappa hesitated a moment before launching himself at her a second time, taking a moment to take note of her energy level. He was a little perturbed by the reading, seeing that in a matter of moments, it had risen from 110 to 6900. Also mystifying was the fact that her power level exceeded his own. His was currently at 6100, thanks to the boost he had gotten after recovering from the radiation poisoning. He wondered if the girl had experienced a similar boost in power from their most recent ordeal…

Staring into the teen's blue eyes, the giant devised a plan. Acknowledging that although her power level was a bit higher than his own, he told himself that she wasn't impossible to defeat. Just a bit more difficult. He had _one_ advantage over her, even if she was stronger. Without her scouter, she shouldn't be able to detect his movements. She had been foolish to leave it behind, and she would soon learn the consequence for such foolishness.

Nappa phased out of sight, moving faster than the eye could see to maneuver around her. Once in position, he threw a punch at the back of her head… to find that it had struck nothing but air. Blinking in confusion, Nappa was caught by surprise when he was struck in the back of his own bald head. He stumbled forward a few steps but caught himself before he fell. He quickly noticed that the strike wasn't very hard at all. He turned around and faced the source of the strike, finding a cocky, blue-haired girl smirking at him. Chills went up Nappa's spine. She was sending him a message. A message that said if he insisted on fighting her, then she was simply going to toy with him.

The general fought to keep his temper in check as he recovered from the blow to his pride. He didn't know how she had predicted his move. He could only assume that she was not only stronger than him, but also faster. If he could no longer catch her off-guard like he had with his very first attack, then the only thing he could do was wear her down.

Nappa closed the gap between them. Bra was ready for the next round. The giant threw a combination of blows, unleashing upon her his most developed moves. Right jab, left jab, left hook, fake right jab, left uppercut. The girl outmaneuvered him almost every single time. Dodge, dodge, block. The fake right jab almost fooled her, but she saw through it a little too late. The left uppercut clipped her jaw, causing her teeth to snap together painfully, but she was otherwise unscathed.

The giant was a little encouraged by the glancing blow to he delivered. He pressed his attack harder. Three left jabs, a right hook, and another left jab. Dodge, dodge, dodge, block, block. Nappa wasn't too concerned that he failed to land any more blows. He continued to attack her with his fists, wanting her to grow too focused on his upper body. Lulling her into a pattern, he repeated his attacks in a rhythm, over and over again.

Nappa could see the confusion in Bra's eyes as he went through the same combo for the third time. She glanced up at him questioningly, as if to ask what the hell he was doing. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for. The bald man suddenly grabbed her by the top of her head – easy enough since she was so much shorter than he – and slammed it down into his rising knee.

"_**Fucking A**_!" the girl screeched in human common as she ricocheted off of Nappa's bony knee.

Bra stumbled backwards blindly. Her hands had automatically come up to cup her bloodied nose. White stars danced behind her clenched eyes. Tears streamed down her face. Nappa took full advantage of her disorientation. He charged at her with his elbow extended and caught her in her middle.

Bra had sensed Nappa coming too late to defend herself. She felt as though she had been pierced by his sharp elbow. The pain was so great that she didn't even feel it when she hit the ground several paces behind her. She writhed on the ground, struggling for air after having had the wind knocked out of her. Her chest felt like it was on fire and her nose throbbed with every beat of her heart. She was barely able to register the sound of Nappa's approaching footsteps.

The mustachioed man calmly strode towards his opponent. He was a little disappointed that it had ended so quickly. After their first bout, he would have thought that she would have been able to put up a better fight. He was satisfied, however, with the conclusion that that first battle of theirs must have been a fluke. And despite his desire to have had this last a bit longer, he knew that time was against him. He didn't have time to allow this to drag out any further.

When Nappa stopped to stand over the suffering girl, he allowed a condescending grin to spread across his lips. "It's a pity that I'm gonna have to kill ya now. I still wonder what it would've been like to fuck ya. Looks like I'll never know…"

Just as the general raised an open-clenched fist filled with ki and aimed it at the girl, she snapped her head up to glare hatefully at him. He stared, transfixed by the fire in her eyes and by the blood painting her gritted teeth. If looks could kill, he'd be dead on the spot. The momentary pause to take in her defiance proved to be his downfall.

Without warning, Bra swept her leg across the back of Nappa's feet. The giant went down with a mighty thud. Both combatants scrambled to their feet and the bout continued. Only this time, Bra went on the offense. She attacked her opponent ruthlessly, unleashing the most brutal tactics she had learned and delivering them with a speed that was too much for Nappa to counter.

It wasn't Bra's unfathomable speed nor her unimaginable strength that stunned Nappa beyond his ability to fight back. It was the familiarity of her fighting style that had him bewildered. The moves and combos were so recognizable, but at the same time, they were so different. Her fighting style, her ferocity, and the wrath on her face were causing warning bells to go off in Nappa's head. But he still couldn't place why he felt such a strange sense of déjà vu. His attempts to solve the puzzle became such a huge distraction that it further hindered his ability to defend himself.

A well-planted front kick to Nappa's face snapped him out of his daze and back into the fight. He found that if he concentrated well enough, he could anticipate and avoid the later strikes in each of the combos the girl threw at him. Finally back into the flow of the fight, the general managed to dodge two consecutive side-kicks Bra launched at him. When she tried to follow up with a roundhouse kick with the other foot, Nappa expected it coming. He grabbed her by the ankle and threw her down to the ground.

Bra snapped back up onto her feet just as Nappa threw a right punch at her. She latched onto the appendage and used his momentum to throw him over her shoulder and into the ground, much like he had done to her only a moment ago. The difference was that she refused to release his hand upon his landing. Instead, she had twisted the entire appendage around just short of popping his shoulder out of its joint. She planted her right foot into his armpit for added leverage.

Nappa cried out in pain, clenching his eyes tight. He felt as though his arm was on fire, all the way from his shoulder down to his wrist. The sensation was paralyzing. It was unbearable. When he felt her grip on his wrist suddenly shift, he thought that she might have taken pity on him and might be releasing him. But no such luck. He thought that perhaps her grip might be looser now that she had changed her hold on him. He tried to wriggle out of her grasp, but was met with a tighter twisting of his arm and a pain that magnified exponentially.

In the midst of his agony, the general dared to open his clenched eyes and look up at the one who had bested him yet again. The view he saw made him forget his pain altogether. The wrath and ferocity that he had seen in Bra's eyes mere minutes ago was gone. In their place was an expression of cold calculation. Furrowed eyebrows slanted over her ice blue eyes. Her scowling lips were painted with her blood. And her right hand, freed from her hold on him, was now pointing at him with the palm flattened, thumb tucked against the index finger, and a ki ball forming in the space in front of her hand. It was witnessing this visage that forced all the puzzle pieces into place. So shocked by his revelation, Nappa didn't even pay attention when the reading on his scouter exceeded ten thousand.

Just as quickly as the fight had begun, it hastily ended. Surprising Nappa even further, Bra suddenly withdrew. Her impending ki attack fizzled out, she released his arm, and she took several steps back from him. Nappa was flooded with relief when the pain in his arm inexplicably ceased. He sat up and began to rub at the tender appendage, working blood back into his veins.

The general was about to resume the battle with the halfling, as foolish as he realized it would be, when he noticed that her attention was elsewhere. His scouter was suddenly flooded with approaching energy signals. He looked behind him to see that not only were Vegeta and Raditz just coming in for a landing, so too were Zoda and Juus as well as several dozen other soldiers. Nappa was surprised that such a crowd hadn't come sooner, but he realized that his little skirmish with the girl had really only lasted all of a couple of minutes.

"Care to explain yourselves?" Vegeta growled as he flashed each of them an irritable scowl.

"Not particularly," Bra replied as she averted her gaze with a matching scowl on her face.

"Nappa?" snarled the prince.

Nappa's eyes darted from the flame-haired man to the blue-haired girl and back again. Yes… the resemblance was definitely there, confirming what he had discovered just a moment ago. Somehow… the girl was related to the prince.

* * *

**Author's Note:**  
My apologies for updates coming less and less frequently. As you can see, chapter lengths are growing longer with each update, hence the longer time between updates.

**Story Notes:**  
The names of those stationed on Frieza Planet 102 are puns on different beverages, keeping in mind Toryama's trend of using puns of different foods while naming his characters.  
_Zoda_ – soda.  
_Kafii_ – coffee.  
_Tii_ – tea.  
_Juus_ – juice.  
_Watta _ – water.

Bra's tapping in Morse code, in case you were wondering, spells out…  
SO  
VERY  
BORED  
…and that's where Nappa snapped at her to stop.

_Surug System_ – since _Namek_ is derived from _namekuji_, meaning _slug_ in Japanese, I decided to name their solar system _Surug_, derived from the English word _slug_.


End file.
